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the best-selling modern homes magazine

february 2022

U R B A N H O M E S Q F U R N I T U R E T R E N D S Q D E C O R AT E W I T H G R E Y I N C R E D I B L E T E C H Q C U R TA I N A D V I C E Q W I N D O W S E AT S

THE NOW AND THE NEXT IN HOME DESIGN

STYLE UP H U N K E R DOW N living rooms that feel as good as they look

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bathroom updates

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FOR BIG PROJECTS AND EASY REFRESHES

S M A L L S PAC E SOLUTIONS

MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY NOOK

J OA STU D HO LM E DECODES THE COLOURS OF THE YEAR

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news & shopping EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT… Cool shelving, boutique beds, landscape prints, colourful glassware and abstract shapes in bold brights, plus Linda Boronkay’s top pieces LUXURY REDEFINED We explore the term ‘new luxury’ and the rising interest in craft THE TREND REPORT The latest launches from Milan influencing our interiors this year THE CONVERSATION We catch up with Farrow & Ball’s colour curator Joa Studholme NEWS REPORT Key players tell us how to achieve the members’ club look at home

fabulous spaces ROOM OF THE MONTH Kelly Wearstler’s bohemian retreat for her family LONDON TERRACE Seamless storage solutions, hard-wearing surfaces and a cool Scandi vibe are the key to this home’s serene state NEW YORK TOWNHOUSE A creative couple’s eclectic yet cohesive design has brought this 1895 Brooklyn home to life

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LONDON HOUSE The remodelling of this listed Regency home has brought a good dose of glamour and fun EXPERT ADVICE Ideas for making the most of a narrow or small space SYDNEY BUNGALOW Design studio Arent & Pyke achieved the perfect balance of colour and light to create a bright and breezy family space INSIDER GUIDE What to consider when choosing your curtains PARISIAN APARTMENT This 19th-century beauty combines classic architecture and exotic design in a colourful atmosphere

decorating STYLE MOMENT OF THE MONTH Our new fabric range with Hillarys brings free-spirited style GREY PARTNERS The ever-popular shade is seen in a fresh light alongside new-season colours LIVING ROOMS: THE EDIT The team have selected their must-have looks and palettes LIVING ROOMS: INSPIRATION GALLERY Get comfy with our ideas for seating areas

Head to livingetc.com for daily updates on style, trend news and decor inspiration

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COVER PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES MERRELL

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COLOUR INSIGHT Designer Eva Sonaike on using neutrals as a backdrop for vibrant patterns HOW TO… TURN A BEDROOM INTO A BATHROOM Top tips for a spa-style sanctuary PATTERN BOOK Graphic tiles in pastel shades HOUSE STYLE Minnie Kemp talks extraordinary bathroom designs

design projects MAKEOVER INSPO A sleek, industrial-style shower room that packs a serious design punch RENOVATION NEWS The latest launches and expert tips for kitchens, bathrooms and projects THE LOWDOWN ON… loft extensions ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE OF THE MOMENT… window seats THE HOME FRONT Rebecca Wakefield savours taking her time planning her renovation

smart home TECH STAR OF THE MONTH LG’s new XBoom 360 wireless speaker is hard to beat

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INNOVATIONS Ground-breaking designs to make your home a smarter place LIVE BETTER Good design will help make working from home... work!

GREEN LIVING Eco-friendly ideas LIVE WELL How to build a wellnessfocused extension

the lifestyle edit THE PLACE TO BE A first look at the luxurious Soho House Paris THE SCENE MiMi Mei Fair restaurant is the new most stylish spot in London’s Mayfair HOTEL HOT LIST Chic overseas retreats in Mallorca, the USA and Mexico IN AND OUT Things to do at home or outside BETTER-LIVED LIFE Charlotte Rey

and the rest…

EDITOR’S LETTER SUBSCRIBE A brilliant half-price offer

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Meet our Reader Awards winners on page 49. Their smart home won them this Howie chair designed by us for Love Your Home

STYLE UP H U N KE R DOWN Pip Rich Editor @pip.rich

what i’m into this month 1

Impressed with Lick’s perfect White 03 paint. Just creamy enough to feel sunny.

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Realising that, if chosen carefully, wood burners can be eco-friendly. Perusing Arada’s selection with that in mind.

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Rimadesio’s London showroom is such a haven of organisation and calm. Storage has genuinely never been this chic.

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My advice for anyone tackling a renovation is to get the living room finished first. I mean, a completed kitchen is handy, sure, but having a space to put your feet up in each evening is really the tonic you need to stop getting too dependent on the gin. Yes, there are still whole rooms my husband and I can’t get into (the joys of this particular 1840s house is that the walls start crumbling down if you dare to remove the wallpaper), but once I could sit on a sofa without being surrounded by bags of plaster my whole world suddenly felt better.

Even if you’re not starting an entire project, I feel like this is going to be the year of the living room. Admittedly, you might assume that was 2020, when nobody really left their couches, but now I’m seeing living areas pivot towards being luxe spaces to entertain while at the same time becoming wellness-inducing nests to squirrel into. By getting the hues, shapes and textures right, they can be both these things, which is the basis for our guide starting on page 105. We have the shopping pieces that best make an elegant, multipurpose room, followed by advice from the experts – designer Lucy Barlow’s colour tips are invaluable.

Elsewhere, we know this is a big month for bathrooms – I’m supposed to be starting my own after being unable to face even thinking about it before Christmas, so let’s hope as you read this I’ve got renewed vigour for taking it on. The feature on page 118 has galvanised me a little – it focuses on creating a spa-style sanctuary, which is just the mood I’m after, while our columnist Minnie Kemp on page 124 is taking a decorative approach to her tub. What I need to do is focus on the end result, on the joy of splashing around in a brand-new shower, and not on the fact it means getting the builders back in.

With finished projects in mind, I urge you to take a look at the brilliant galleries on Livingetc.com for more information, inspiration and ideas. We’ve got every room covered, an army of incredible expert advice as well as a vast array of suggestions on how to be more sustainable, stylish and smart – my watchwords for the year.

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THE NEW MOOD

Wanderlust has taken hold and interiors have embraced its glam side F LY I N G H I G H

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI

From Molteni&C’s Flight D.154.5 installation at supersalone, featuring multiples of Gio Ponti’s reissued D.154.5 armchair, to Dulux’s Colour of the Year 2022 Bright Skies and Diptyque’s new Le Grand Tour fragrance collection, travel is on everyone’s minds. Bon voyage.

The original Gio Ponti D.154.5 armchair (1954) graced the Alitalia offices in Manhattan

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J OYO U S G L A S S WA R E

Boring glass begone – it’s all about creativity and colour-popping now

SUGAR HIGH

Designer Nienke Sikkema’s towering stacked candleholders became an instant crowdpleaser at the recent Dutch Design Week. Willy Wonka-esque in candy hues, the holders play with the transparency, colour and fluidity of glass created by letting hot pieces of glass overlap before rolling them into a cylindrical shape. They look good enough to eat!

From £145 each (nienkesikkema.nl)

C R E AT U R E C O M F O R T

Bringing drinks trays to life are Massimo Lunardon’s breathtakingly delicate and ornate creations, including unique undersea-influenced decanters and glassware that are charmingly whimsical. Hand-blown in Italy from durable borosilicate glass, each one is so characterful we couldn’t bear to leave any creature on the shelf.

Decanters, £239 each; tea-light holders, £39 each, all The Conran Shop (conranshop.co.uk)

H A P P Y P L AC E

For French designer Irina Flore, being isolated at home, using the same glass or plate, became monotonous so she began to explore the shapes of everyday objects and created sculptural drinkware that is colourful and naive with off-kilter bases and stems. Each piece is handcrafted in Istanbul. Joyful glassware, £147 each, Studio Flore (irinaflore.com)

Wonderfully eclectic accompaniments to homemade cocktails, Yali Glass’ multicoloured sets of glass stirrers are handmade in Murano – Venice’s historic home of glassmaking – and each is shaped with a spherical end that highlights the cool colour combinations. £235 for a set of eight, Matchesfashion (matchesfashion.com)

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FEATURE ROHINI WAHI

C R E AT E A STIR

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A B S T R AC T CRAFT

Inspired by the catwalk, this fashion look is heading home

FEATURE JO BAILEY PHOTOGRAPHS GUILLAUME ROUJAS FOR INSTITUT FRANÇAIS DE LA MODE (IFM); ISSEY MIYAKE INC

Arch tile in Fennel, £7, Bert & May x Livingetc

Luna Kaleido large pendant, £3,900, Gabriel Scott

Oval curve mirror, from £320, Chelsea Vivash

Three panel screen in Mollior, £4,100, The Sit Still Studio

Profumo mini vase, £195, Henry Holland Studio

Soyul Kim’s seemingly undone yet perfectly put together designs were on display at the Institut Français de la Mode Vivid hues and organic silhouettes are all the rage for Issey Miyake AW21/22

Reclaim wall mural in Clay, £650 a roll, Kirkby Design

Terra stool, £1,100, Claudia Surrage and Christian Cowper for Studio Phat

Olive & Blue cushion, £165, Kanica at Partnership Editions

The punchy colours and graphic shapes seen on this season’s runways now adorn artisanal homeware

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T O M D I XO N

The innovative designer takes a dramatic approach to furnishing our abodes With his distinctive style of theatrical furniture and accessories, Tom Dixon has convinced us that hallucinogenic molten glass pendant lights, high-shine gold furniture and iridescent accessories should play a key part in domestic spaces. His recent collaboration with VitrA is a collection of playfully formed bathroom accessories.

How do you imagine your dramatic designs in homes?

We do use materials in unexpected ways and for me the best way to use iridescence or gold is as a contrast to perhaps a more subdued backdrop. These finishes are intended to surprise, but we also use earthy materials like cork, which still delight but blend into modern homes. For me, the exciting thing is to make surprising juxtapositions, such as my molten glass Melt pendant over a farmhouse kitchen table or my futuristic HYDRO aluminium chair in a garden setting.

What was the thought process behind your unusual new bathroom collection with VitrA? For many years the obsession in porcelain was skinny and reduced, but we wanted fat and expressed. I don’t want my taps to vanish into minimalism and not know how to use them – I want generous and expressed handles and easy to understand controls in the bathroom.

Tom Dixon’s organic Melt pendant echoes a melting glacier

Do you have a favourite example of clever use of material?

I always liked the hill fort of Fatehpur Sikri near Agra, where in 1570 they used red sandstone to build walls designed to hide water channels inside with occasional holes where you could insert roses, which acted as diffusers for cooling the room with scented evaporating air.

The new bathroom range is a move away from minimalism

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The HYDRO limited edition chair has a futuristic edge

What material do you think will be popular this year?

We’ve recently been experimenting a lot with cork, which is the most amazing traditional material, and with alternative leathers made from pineapple. It’s a very exciting time for investigating new materials but also new methods of processing traditional materials.

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FEATURE ROHINI WAHI PHOTOGRAPHS (PORTRAIT OF TOM DIXON) ALLEGRA MARTIN

Tell us about the power of lighting in the home.

Lighting still is the place in the home that people are prepared to be more daring, which liberates a designer to experiment more. We are passionate about the power of lighting as it has such an impact on our mood. We’ve been exploring how it can induce specific emotional states according to its intensity and saturation, which allows us to create more sensory-driven and astonishing interior spaces.

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C O O L C O M PAC T S H E LV I N G

Dainty display areas for favourite trinkets and keepsakes

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1 Museum shelf, £149, TAF for String Furniture 2 Tenna shelf, £149, Broste Copenhagen at Amara 3 Fracture shelf, £115, Ferm Living 4 Corniche shelf, £89, Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra at Smallable 5 Corbel shelf, £291, Krøyer-SætterLassen for Menu at Finnish Design Shop 6 Mondrian brass wall shelf, £58, Graham and Green 7 Alba M Oval wall shelf, £243, Woodendot at Bombinate 8 Hammered gold metal and wooden shelf, £59.50, Oliver Bonas 9 Lineas 58 shelf, from £1,079, Tarcisio Colzani for Porada

FEATURE JO BAILEY

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S M A L L S PAC E MA XIMALISM

‘More is more’ is the new style ethos for bijou rooms

To make the most of a modest space, the rule of thumb has traditionally been subtle decor. However, we are seeing interior designers throwing out the rule book, creating joyful maximalist schemes in compact rooms.

Bijou Notting Hill flats are being furnished like rambling country homes, with generous seating and bold fabrics, and tiny city bathrooms come to life with high-energy tiles. ‘People often believe smaller spaces call for more pared- back design, but I disagree,’ says designer Sophie Ashby. ‘A living area should feel like a cocoon that gives a sense of who you are, and smaller spaces are often better for creating this heightened sense of character.’

L AY E R , T H E N L AY E R AG A I N

‘Living in the UK, which is grey most of the time, having a home brimming with textures, patterns and art really helps bring warmth inside, which is often so lacking in daily life,’ says Sarah Stemp, co-founder of Sascal Studio, who designed this big-on style small space. (sascalstudio.com)

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI

D R AW T H E E Y E R E P E AT C O L O U R S

Interior designer Sophie Ashby transformed her one-bedroom home by being bold. ‘If you want to create a room that feels really charismatic, I would say “go for broke” with colour but try and repeat hues on different elements to create coherency. For our bedroom I used yellow, blue and green, but for every item in one of those hues – ie a yellow feature wall – there is another piece that also incorporates that colour.’ (studioashby.com)

This Yellow London project wows with wallpaper. ‘With pattern and colour there is always something to look at and it detracts from the size of the room as your attention is diverted to the contents of the space,’ says Yellow London founder Cath Beckett. (yellowlondon.com)

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BOUTIQUE BEDS

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1 Ciao bed, from £1,095, Loaf 2 Le Marais bed, from £2,058, Stefano Spessotto for Calligaris 3 Moreau pleated bed, from £3,785 (excluding fabric), Pinch 4 Florence bed, from £1,050, Sofa.com 5 Ruché bed, from £4,214, Inga Sempé for Ligne Roset 6 Rivas bed, from £3,095, Soho Home 7 Hepworth bed, from £1,526, Love Your Home x Livingetc 8 Eclair bed, from £2,453, Britta Nehrdich for Zeitraum at Viaduct Furniture

FEATURE JO BAILEY

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LANDSCAPE PRINTS

Painterly scenes are showing up on everything from rugs to wallcoverings 1 The artwork for Villa Nova’s new collection was taken from one of ceramic artist Kyra Cane’s pastel drawings.

Energetic brushstrokes were used to depict a field on the Welbeck country estate.

Welbeck mural in Summer, W630/01, price on request (villanova.co.uk)

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI PHOTOGRAPHS (2. PAYSAGE RUG) KAT MERVYN; (3. FILE UNDER POP) DITTE ISAGER

2 Paysage, a collection of striking handmade rugs by Portuguese brand GUR, uses plain and bright colours and abstract shapes to refer to existing landscapes. Paysage rugs, £130 each, Ferréol Babin and GUR at Bound Concept (boundconcept.com) 3 Danish colour lab File Under Pop is a unique take on the classic paint shop. Curtains in the store cleverly display its colours in an abstract landscape formation in earthy colours. (fileunderpop.com) 4 Immerse yourself in the art of John Constable at the Royal Academy’s Late Constable exhibition, which brings together work from the last 12 years of the artist’s life, including A Boat Passing a Lock, 1826 (detail shown here). Late Constable runs at the Royal Academy of Arts until 13 February 2022 (royalacademy.org.uk)

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CIRCADIAN LIGHTING

Clever tech that mimics the sun and gives winter-weary bodies a boost LOOK TO THE SKIES

Finnish brand Light Cognitive has developed virtual LED windows that mimic the sky. Called Skylight, the device is designed to deliver the benefits of natural light to windowless spaces, recreating how the sky changes through the day from sunrise to sunset. Price based on project (lightcognitive.com)

Winter is here, bringing shorter, darker days and moods with it. One of the biggest influences on our circadian rhythm, light has a fundamental impact on our health and wellbeing. Our eyes and brain receive prompts from the natural day/night cycle and tell our bodies when to be awake and when to sleep. It then should come as no surprise to learn that bright blue light in the evening can disrupt sleep and dark, warm-light interiors during the day can reduce alertness. Instead of giving ourselves up to the darkness, we have been exploring new gentle lighting designs that mimic the natural day/night cycle and use our body’s rhythm to maximise comfort and productivity.

SUN SETTING

The Dawn to Dusk lamp turns on by moving the head up and, like the sun, glows brighter the higher it goes. £750, Haberdashery (haberdashery.com)

N AT U R A L G L OW

Nanoleaf’s Elements collection of Hexagon panels change from white to orange, adjusting the temperature and intensity of the light based on time of day. Sync them to music and create your own pattern. Each is touch sensitive so you can turn on or off with a tap. From £169 (nanoleaf.me)

Designed by Marjan van Aubel, Sunne is a solar light made from a curved strip of aluminium, shaped like the horizon. By day, it harvests energy from the sun while it hangs by your window; at night, it brings sunlight into your home. Price on request (marjanvanaubel.com)

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FEATURE ROHINI WAHI

L I G H T S H OW

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HER EDITED CHOICE

Our columnist Linda Boronkay on the pieces catching her eye this month 2

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1 AND RELAX This candle burns in our office 24/7 and keeps us calm and relaxed when hitting deadlines!

Laze candle - The Meditative One, £39, Eym Naturals

2 A N I M A L M AG I C The leopards, soaring birds and mythical creatures on this linen cloth are almost ready to dance off the table – so much fun! Polkra x Anna Glover Mirabilia Sunlight tablecloth, £195, Polkra

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This extraordinary light is made from ribbons of molten recycled plastic and creates an incredible effect of light refraction through the corrugated structure. Helm light, €3,600, Kooij

4 FA M I LY A F FA I R Adriana Jaros’ paintings explore the interaction between colour and space to create an aesthetic experience that is thoughtprovoking. Family Portrait artwork, £950

5 T O TA L R E L I E F The velvet textures, loops and tassels read like a landscape in this unusual tactile rug. A La Française rug, from £1,734 per m2, The Invisible Collection

6 SU RE- FOOTE D Wrapped in Italian leather with contrasting brass feet, this sleek chair is a refreshing take on the traditional dining chair. Easton dining chair, £3,500, And Objects

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luxury redefined A new exhibition at this month’s Maison&Objet Paris makes us question what counts as luxury today and how we can use this to enhance our lives

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FROM TOP The Invisible Collection showroom; Quartz Bighton side table, The Invisible Collection with And Objects by Martin Brudnizki

s we’ve reassessed what luxury means to us over the past year – traversing from the copiously conspicuous to the sustainably conscientious – it makes sense that Maison&Objet would invite The Invisible Collection this month (20-24 January) to spotlight the rising designers who they feel best represent what ‘new luxury’ means to us today.

Collaborating with artistic scenographer and interior designer Émilie Bonaventure, The Invisible Collection, founded by long-time friends Anna Zaoui and Isabelle Dubern-Mallevays in 2016, will showcase almost 40 young and emerging talents. The cast includes rising French designers such as Charlotte Biltgen, Studioparisien and Maison Intègre and our very own Brit stars Campbell-Rey and architect duo Atelier Pendhapa.

‘For me, the “new luxury” is about taking the time to buy fewer but better pieces,’ enthuses Emilie, ‘and trying to figure out who and what are the iconic designs of tomorrow based on the quality of materials and the attention to detail, and a certain timelessness – more than just looking for the trendy wow factor.’

So here, they have chosen designers creating fresh designs, drawing a little on the past, but with their eye firmly on the future.

‘What I love about our designers is they don’t copy the past, they reinterpret it and push it forward,’ says Anna. For example, with London-based designer Rebecca Korner’s whimsical Lagoon table and its layers of richly hued selenite intimating melting pools of ice cream, ‘her pieces are almost classic, but revisited with colour and happiness,’ says Anna.

It’s an ethos that feels perfectly in tune with how we want to live now – creating homes that will feel unique and individual through pieces that feel a little (or a lot) out of the ordinary, pieces imbued with longevity and steeped in the narrative of not only the person who designed or made them, but also reflecting a part of ourselves – about who we are and what we love.

It’s certainly what Anna and Isabelle have long championed since starting The Invisible Collection on the premise of seeking out interesting, intriguing works by architects, artists and interior designers that are usually only custom-made and otherwise never seen on the high street or in major furniture showrooms.

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FEATURE FIONA MCCARTHY PHOTOGRAPHS (TABLE BY CHARLOTTE BILTGEN) ROMAIN RICARD

FROM TOP And Objects exclusive furnishings, The Invisible Collection; Skye McAlpine’s Frutti Di Bosco plate, Tavola collection; Linnéa Andersson blanket for Arket; Spalted Maple Wan Nari bowl

by Alexander de Vol, The New Craftsmen; Monceau table by Charlotte Biltgen, The Invisible Collection; “A” ottoman by Studioparisien x Métaphores for The Invisible Collection

‘It’s a very short circuit between the artisan, the interior designer and us, and as everything is made to order, there is no waste at all,’ enthuses Isabelle about this sustainable approach.

In the ‘new luxury’, this touch of the handmade is all-important, but it needn’t require a second mortgage. For Sarah Watson, founder of bathroom specialist Balineum, investing in just 20 beautiful hand-glazed tiles to go around a fireplace can bring ‘depth and nuance to a space that you just wouldn’t get with something machine made,’ she says. Designers like Sophie Ashby regularly come to Sarah to help translate mural designs by artists like Anna Glover into tiles to fill entire walls, but Sarah says it’s just as fun to buy one tile featuring a hand-painted design by contemporary artist Wayne Pate and ‘hang it like a work of art’.

Introducing art via other mediums, such as filling a wall with hand-painted plates or commissioning a mural – as interior designer Bryan O’Sullivan has done recently with British artist Annie Morris in The Painter’s Room bar at Claridge’s – can instantly elevate a room. Or try the wallpaper collections by new brand Dado, which feature works by the artist Matthew Burrows and cyanotype prints

by Jo de Pear, or Christopher Farr’s recent translation of five works by the late abstract painter Sandra Blow onto grass paper.

The rapidly rising interest in craft reflects the new luxury’s focus on sustainability. ‘Millennial collectors are currently the highest spenders in the market, looking to purchase with integrity, focusing on provenance, authenticity, the handmade and the artisan,’ says Isobel Dennis, director of Collect contemporary craft and design fair, which opens next month at Somerset House (23-27 February).

But investing in craft can be as simple as an exquisitely handturned wooden bowl by Lancastrian designer Alexander de Vol, available at The New Craftsmen, for holding your keys on the hall table, or a painted plate from Skye McAlpine’s new Tavola homeware collection, hand-finished by artisans near Venice. Even on the high street Arket has worked with young Swedish artist and illustrator Linnéa Andersson on a collection of graphic motifs for blankets, which are then made by the prestigious centuries-old Swedish weavers Klippan using traditional Nordic craft techniques.

Ultimately, the essence of a room that feels distinctive and personal is all in the combination of old and new, the fun and the precious. ‘Our motto is always to be daring and passionate,’ assert Anna and Isabelle. ‘We are always surprised and happy to see how our clients mix pieces together to create their own story.’

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the

trend report

SUPERSALONE IN MIL AN SET T H E T O N E F O R H OW W E ’ L L

D E C O R AT E I N 2 0 2 2 – H E R E ’ S W H AT W I L L B E M O S T

INFLUENTIAL THIS YEAR

the colour - atlantic blue EDRA ‘A’mare’, a play on words that combines a love for design with the concept of solidifying water into precious objects, is the name given to Edra’s new collection of furniture. Designed from polycarbonate sticks, this icicle-like range is almost too cool. Ice, ice, baby!

A’mare table and chairs, price on request, Jacopo Foggini, Edra

Dudet small armchair, Patricia Urquiola for Cassina at Aram

EMU It seems we can’t get enough of WGSN’s 2022 colour prediction for Atlantic Blue. Italian outdoor furniture specialist EMU has conjured the Cannolè range, which comes wrapped in that on-trend, distinctive tone. The Cannolè lounge chair, three-seater sofa and coffee tables will give any outdoor space a discerning dose of Italian flair. Cannolè three-seater sofa with daybed, €6,270 incl VAT, Anton Cristell and Emanuel Gargano, EMU

CIELO Bringing sculpture into the bathroom, Andrea Parisio and Guiseppe Pezzano have created the Delfo washbasin, a wooden unit with a ceramic sink and countertop in a range of colours, including this blue from the Acque di Cielo tones. Delfo, price on request, Andrea Parisio and Giuseppe Pezzano, Ceramica Cielo

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precious materials L I V I N G D I VA N I The brand has added new pieces to its already expansive line-up, including the Sumo family of furniture, designed by Piero Lissoni. Embodying the surge in precious stone and marble that we’re seeing coming through in numbers, the Sumo coffee tables are available in a range of luxe marble finishes. Sumo coffee table, from €1,524 excl VAT, Piero Lissoni x Living Divani

BONALDO Dining is something we know the Italians do well, which is why this new table from Bonaldo hits all the right design taste buds.

Designed by Paolo Grasselli, the Innesti dining table has a staggered column base and a red marble top. It’s one of a new selection of dining tables from the brand, but with its precious stone top, this one really nails the marble-quartz trend. Innesti table, from €6,492 excl VAT , Paolo Grasselli, Bonaldo

C AT T E L A N I TA L I A Cattelan Italia’s Cocoon console table designed by Paolo Cattelan is a small-scale piece that feels apt for many a modern home. It has a choice of tops, including this stunning marble-effect Marmi ceramic inlay, and a choice of brushed bronze or brushed gray as a frame detail. The Cocoon Trousse version comes with a built-in mirror. Cocoon Trousse Keramik, from €2,571 excl VAT, Paolo Cattelan, Cattelan Italia

home comfor ts

FLEXFORM The ultimate in living room design goals has to be a sofa you can slouch on, but that’s equal parts stylish and chic, too. It’s not as easy to get right as it sounds, but Flexform has come up trumps with its Bretton sofa range. Choose from fabric or hide upholstery with the slimline metal armrests and framework in cowhide or suede. Bretton sofa, £20,494, incl VAT, Antonio Citterio, Flexform

CALLIGARIS Calligaris is a go-to for chairs that cut a modern look and it’s comfort that’s the new focus. The suitably named Comfy armchair has three foampadded parts and a generous seat pad. Sitting back and relaxing has never looked so promising. Comfy armchair, £1,741 incl VAT, Calligaris

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sculptural storage MOROSO This shelving unit by Olafur Eliasson for Moroso is the result of the artist’s ‘decades-long engagement with geometry’ and is derived from a stackable rhomboid module that has featured in some of his designs since 2015. The design isn’t new, but 2022 is the first time we’re seeing it being made in iron (recycled and recyclable) and with a non-toxic powder coating.

Secret cubic shelves, £8,010 excl VAT, Olafur Eliasson, Moroso

BONTEMPI CASA If your idea of a bookcase is a DIY construction then the Italians give a fresh approach. More in line with a piece of sculpture, Bontempi Casa’s Charlotte bookcase comes as either a ceiling or wall-fixed unit; the former turns it into both a room divider and shelving unit. Charlotte bookcase, £9,746.07 incl VAT, Shannon Sadler, Bontempi Casa

BERNHARDT & V E L L A AT A R F L E X With curvaceous transparent glass shelving panels and its slimline metal frame, the Alba

by Arflex is a floor-to-ceiling divider and shelving unit that’s as svelte as it is simple and stylish; a recipe for design divinity if ever it existed. The half-circle-shaped glass shelves can also be positioned as backrests – keeping all your books firmly in situ, but with a lightness and element of transparency. On a practical note, there are different widths and sizes to choose from, too.

Alba, £6,161 incl VAT, Bernhardt & Vella, Arflex

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cur ved lines LEMA Furniture brand Lema specialises in ‘furniture systems’ but on a whole other level of design. However, it’s this, the somewhat simple in construction Ombra chair, which is the pinnacle of Lema’s 2022 collection. Described by the brand as ‘poetic in essentiality’, the chair has a red-painted frame and leather ‘shell’. Rarefied, refined and so very red. If you’re looking for a future classic, then this is it.

Ombra chair, price on request, Piero Lissoni, LEMA

GALLOT TI&R ADICE Seating can be just as sculptural as storage as this new Monete side table design from Gallotti&Radice shows. It’s almost galactic and looks like it’s just landed (which, it kind of has as it’s brand new for 2022). Designed by Massimo Castagna, it’s made in burnished metal, which has a naturally spotted and irregular finish – texture galore! Each one, with its curved edges and formations, is entirely unique. Monete, £970 incl VAT, Massimo Castagna, Gallotti&Radice

POLIFORM Like a portal giving us a glimpse into designs of the future, the Drop mirror by Poliform is a curvaceous must-have for the home. It’s big, coming in at a sizeable 1200mm in diameter – it’s a bit like a piece of art combined with all the functionality of a mirror. The frame is stitched and bound in leather, which extends onto the hanging strap, too – oh, and the fixing details are described as ‘glossy brass’.

How refined and just plain lovely.

Drop mirror, £7,010, R&D Poliform

sensor y ex periences A R PA F E N I X Sensory was the name of the game for Arpa Fenix as they put on a showstopping ‘itinerary’ of installations by Constance Guisset. A combination of surface materials from FENIX and Homapal were applied cleverly and –ultimately – for the purpose of fun. Think children’s soft play but for adults, all designed to stimulate the senses.

MARAZZI Marazzi, the Italian porcelain and tile specialist, has conjured a new series of tiles informed by the past.

The Crogiolo range references the name of the industrial building where Marazzi was established in the early 1930s. The handmade majolica Crogiolo Rice tiles have a dense glaze and flaws that add to their beauty. We particularly like the three ‘nature’ motifs in the Blu colourway. Rice Decoro Blossom Lux, £52.72sq m incl VAT, Marazzi

WA L L & D E C Ò Nothing screams excitement more than a black and white scheme, and monochromatic bathroom design is set for a renaissance. Wall & Deco’s Touche wallcovering from the Black and White: New Religion range has a surrealist charm about it. Touche wallpaper, £155sq m, Ruga Perissinotto, Wall&decò Wet System

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blurred lines in design EFFE There’s always someone willing to boast about their hydro-shower that they’ve just had installed into their en suite at home, isn’t there? (rolls eyes). Well, if home spas were a game of Top Trumps then this new Effe design is the card we’d want to play – quite simply it wins, hands down. Effe is a specialist in the world of home saunas, spas and Turkish baths. This, the Yoku Spa, is its latest design to hit the marketplace. It’s available in different dimensions and layouts, but essentially offers: sauna, shower and hammam, all in one very well-constructed and stylish unit. The question is, if you were to buy one, would you ever leave your house again? It’s constructed mainly from wood, but it has slithers of grey porcelain and gold calacatta, too, for added design pizzazz. This is wellness at home, maxed.

Yoku Spa, price on request, Effe

ETHIMO Outdoor furniture brand Ethimo has ventured into new territory: furniture for sports. Designed

by Patrick Norguet, the range of benches and an umpire seat is aptly named ‘Ace’, and ace it certainly well is. ‘We wanted to offer a new interpretation of both design and the often underappreciated comfort which usually characterise athletic stations and seats,’ explains Norguet. Ace outdoor sports collection, from £6,600 incl VAT, Patrick Norguet, Ethimo

new ways of work ing P O R A DA Porada has created a range of new writing desks for 2022 (some of which can also be used as dressing tables). This, the Saffo Cuoio design, is made in Canaletto walnut wood with multiple compartments for keeping desktop accoutrement out of sight. You can specify the top in a variety of colours, too. Saffo Cuoio, price on request, Porada

KNOLL Knoll prides itself on creating furniture that connects people with their home or, indeed, their office. It has collaborated with Milanese architect Piero Lissoni on the KN Collection since 2018. The latest in the KN family, the KN06 swivel chair is perfect for people who need a ‘do all’ that can slide from the desk to the dining table.

Knoll has an extensive options list of finishes that you can ponder over.

KN06 armchair, £1,080 excl VAT, Piero Lissoni, Knoll International

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streamlined silhouettes S C AVO L I N I Bathroom design hasn’t escaped a streamlined touch, with Scavolini unveiling its Formalia bathroom range designed by Vittore Niolu. It has ‘rust matt lacquered doors’ incorporated into it so that you hide all your essentials below the basin. The top is porcelain finished with black profile fittings. The design detail is the ‘built-in’ drawer handle. So clever and simple that you’d be forgiven for not even noticing it. Now that’s a sign of good design. Formalia, price on request, Vittore Niolu, Scavolini

RIMADESIO Paring design right back to a striking simplicity, Rimadesio has just announced the Maxi sliding doors, a partition system designed to ‘separate but not divide’. Designed by Giuseppe Bavuso, it is the ninth product in the brand’s Sliding Panels range. It’s customisable, designed from an irregular aluminum structure that has individual sections of transparent glass – giving it that extreme sense of transparency. It’s hung from a simple ‘sliding rail’ designed so that you can open and close the doors with absolute silence. This is seriously chic. Maxi sliding doors, £2,419.20 incl VAT, Giuseppe Bavuso for Rimadesio

BOFFI Boffi is a big name in both kitchen and bathroom design. One of the new ranges to stem from Boffi focuses on what it is calling ‘the value of materials’. Sleek by design, the Aprile kitchen has come from designer Piero Lissoni. Capturing the essence of simplicity, handles and appliances are all integrated and kept – rather beautifully – out of direct sight.

We love the seamless stainless-steel worktop option, but best of all, possibly, is the open shelving. It’s like Lissoni has created a seriously stylish commercial kitchen, but with tactility and warmth for the modern home. Aprile Sloane, price on request, Piero Lissoni, Boffi

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classics reimagined

ALESSI 2021 marked the centenary year for Alessi, an Italian favourite. To mark the occasion, it reissued objects from the historic Twergi collection. Created in 1989, the range, which includes the Ercolino bottle opener by Andrea Branzi, focused on the ancient tradition of woodturning, typical of the Strona Valley, near lake Orta where Alessi is based. Photo frame in glass and birch wood with clip, £38, Kuno Prey for Alessi. Photo frame with birch wood and magnet, £28, Bortolani Becchelli Associati for Alessi

Dimoregallery founders Britt Moran and Emiliano Salci focused on displaying tradition and innovation (a design contrast, if you like) with their exhibition of work, ‘Past, Present, Future’ that was on display during Milan design week. Striking pieces of contemporary furniture from Bitossi Archive Museum were set against a backdrop of vintage chinoiserie wallpaper rediscovered in the de Gournay archive. And that wasn’t all. Architecture fans were treated to a mise-en-scène set-up of Claudio Salocchi’s (1934-2012) house, too. Past, Present, Future exhibition by Dimoregallery

PIERRE FREY Sam Baron, once named by Philippe Starck as ‘one of the most important designers’, joined French furniture and fabric brand Pierre Frey in 2020.

With his passion for decoration, he is ‘reorganising, modifying and enriching the Heritage collection’ at Pierre Frey, returning the brand ‘to its roots’. The Majordome set is inspired by the 1930s and 1940s boudoir, and the distinctive convincing design detail, Baron says, is ‘like a signature’ marrying the pieces together. Majordome collection: chaise lounge, €4,553.34; pouf, €755; pouf, €3,102.50, Sam Baron, Pierre Frey

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FEATURE RORY ROBERTSON/RORY@RORYROBERTSON.CO.UK PHOTOGRAPHY (PAST PRESENT FUTURE EXHIBITION, DIMOREGALLERY) SILVIA RIVOLTELLA

DIMOR EGALLE RY

the conversation Our editor Pip Rich talks to Farrow & Ball’s Joa Studholme about navigating white paints and convincing your partner to go for a chequerboard floor

a

s the mastermind behind so many of Farrow & Ball’s iconic paint colours, Joa Studholme has been setting the style agenda for years. It was she who created Stiffkey Blue, Sulking Room Pink and, of course, Joa’s White, all of which immediately influenced how we wanted to decorate our homes.

PIP RICH Hi Joa, it’s been six months since you came to my house, bravely walked through all the builders’ dust, and advised me on colour schemes. You gave me vision when I was lost in the mess of it all. Do people normally react with such excitement?

JOA STUDHOLME You certainly had a lot going on!

But I was pleased to see you taking on a big project, I think everyone is being braver now, particularly in colours. Requests don’t tend to be about creating sanctuaries any more, but instead style is about fun. I was thrilled to spot checks highlighted in Livingetc as a key trend [in the December issue] because I love them – use them on the floor, then take them all the way up the side of a bath. Brilliant!

PR While you managed to convince my husband easily of your colour suggestions for our house, I tried to suggest a chequerboard floor for our wooden boards and he won’t go for it. What should I say to sway him?

JS Painted floors are such a cheap solution – I’ve lived with them all my married life. They’re playful, they make you relax; a home that has them never seems formal. If that’s not enough, tell him they’re easy to do and just need a little preparation. If doing a check, start with the lighter colour first.

PR Much as I agree people want their homes to feel fun now, the vibe I’m seeing a lot is sophisticated cocktail lounge. What shades would you do for that?

JS More than colour, it’s finish. Go for gloss, always. It makes everything feel glamorous. Choose a bold shade like Stone Blue and gloss it over the walls and ceiling.

PR Speaking of ceilings, I was surprised you recommended Slipper Satin for most of mine, different from what you suggested on the walls. I was convinced you’d go up and over. Why did you do that?

JS It was about the height. If you have low rooms, you should always use the same colour on the walls and ceiling so your eye can’t tell where the wall ends. You’re lucky enough to have tall spaces, so we could highlight them more.

PR Well, I’m obsessed with the Jitney you suggested for our dining room – it’s smart but reminds me of a picnic blanket we had as a kid. There’s a comforting retro vibe to it.

JS I always say the best colours are memories. It can be so overwhelming to look at colour charts, so pick shades that spark a reminder of a happy time in your life.

PR You once gave me great advice for interpreting the overwhelming whites on the Farrow & Ball colour card which, simply put, was blueish whites for cool, urban spaces, reddish whites for warmer urban spaces, green whites for cool country homes and yellow whites for trad country vibes. Does that still stand?

JS Yes it does! But since then, I’ve created a new collection of whites that are a very safe pair of hands for people to navigate, and should feel familiar and wonderful in any space. School House White, Shaded White, Shadow White and Drop Cloth all have a stony base to them and you just can’t use them wrongly.

PR And I have to ask, do you have a favourite colour right now?

JS I can’t stop adding hits of colour. Red doors, say, or covering radiators or window reveals in Harissa, a fiery orange from our archive. These details help to truly express a bit of personality, they’re so far from the greys we were all collectively into 10 years ago. And I love them. I’ve said it before – be bold!

The best

colours are memories – pick shades that remind you of

happy moments

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Designer Joa Studholme Drop Cloth estate emulsion, £52 for 2.5ltr

Joa currently loves to paint details in the shade Harissa

Shadow White estate emulsion, £52 for 2.5ltr

Chequerboard floor painted in Babouche and School House White

PHOTOGRAPHS (HARISSA CHAIR) PAUL MASSEY

A gloss wall creates a glamorous space. Painted in Radicchio

Floorboards painted in Strong White

“Painted floors are such a cheap solution. They’re playful – a home that has them never seems formal” livingetc.com

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news report Luxe or laid-back, the lure of the members’ club is irresistible – here, key players divulge how to bring the look home

A chequerboard floor and art deco lights bring glamour to the Pavilion Club in Knightsbridge

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w

e’re willing to bet there’s not one of us who hasn’t felt embarrassingly light-headed from the sensations experienced on entering a members’ club or exclusive space. That first delicious step into an expertly tiled entrance, dimly-lit with those covetable heavy drapes, the distinctive waft of expensive hand lotion and the clatter of the creative crowd all thrumming with the promise of an exquisite evening ahead.

Why can’t we have the same feeling in our own homes (minus the crowd, of course)? By honing in on those essential features that make a club feel special it is entirely possible among family life, work spaces and daily drudgery to Get lighting weave in that magic at home. inspiration from Newly launched, the glamorous Pavilion Club in Knightsbridge is the pinnacle of exclusive luxury. Set over six floors with a terrace boasting panoramic views of Hyde Park as well as a restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge, the historic interiors are brought to life by Russell Sage Studio. Take inspiration from its smart chequerboard flooring, which immediately creates a grand and imposing entrance for your guests, and team it with oversized art deco lights. Emulate its expansive floor-to-ceiling curtains in pretty vintage florals to make a room feel taller and paint the space an elegant sage green.

the Mondrian’s Rose Lounge

When discussing members’ clubs we cannot miss out Soho House – the pioneers of the modern club have just opened the newest iterations in Paris and Rome, and recently launched an interior design service. ‘Try to avoid focusing your furniture around the television,’ says Candy Murray, Soho Home interior style manager. ‘We also use footstools – they are so versatile and can double up as an extra seat or side table and we make them in different, interesting shapes so they feel out of the ordinary in a home space.’

Pioneers Soho House now offer an interior design service

Wallpaper is a key element in The Nine’s bathroom

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI

Occupying an elegant art nouveau townhouse in Brussels, The Nine was created by women for women. The club aims to offer an elevated environment for a variety of daily activities: reading in the library, having lunch in the restaurant, attending work meetings, mingling in the bar and taking time to pamper in the gorgeous bathroom. ‘To achieve the look, pick a strong element like wallpaper or a strong print in curtains and derive a whole palette out of that,’ says The Nine’s interior designer Hélène Van Marcke.

Over at the newly opened Mondrian hotel in east London, designer Jo Littlefair of Goddard Littlefair was in charge of the decor. The hotel houses The Curtain Club, which gives members access to exclusive spaces within the hotel. The Rose Bar and Lounge in the basement of the building offers a gentleman’s club-meets-Manhattan loft vibe, with exposed brickwork and low-seating creating intimate nooks, while a stunning glass chandelier lights up the cavernous room.

‘Channelling this look is all about getting the lighting levels right,’ Jo says. ‘The key is to avoid the abrasive nature of downlights and creating decadence through the scale of decorative lighting.

Also sprinkle some mirrors into the corners of the rooms to make the spaces feel larger and more twinkly.’

‘Members’ clubs are often synonymous with luxury but this is often, in our opinion, misaligned with indulgence and excess, rather than sustainability and connections,’ says Ciarán O’Brien, co-founder of Red Deer, the team behind Birch in Hertfordshire. ‘Look beyond surface-level luxury items and instead seek to adapt and evolve the features your home possesses – think unusual architectural detailing or old hardware – instead of beginning from scratch. At Birch we discovered that the floorboards in the reception were numbered in white paint from a previous renovation. Rather than cover the marks we decided to expose them, so they become part of the decorative features in the room.’

If you’re not ready for a full home overhaul, look to individual elements like Tom Dixon’s smart new Hotel Amenities collection of strikingly designed bath and soap products. Cushions with fabulous trims, characterful rugs layered over one another and artwork arrangements can be as bold as you want them to be. Go maximal or minimal but do it with absolute confidence.

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FEATURE RACHEL CHRISTIE PHOTOGRAPH THE INGALLS

Green Mario Bellini marble table, try 1stDibs. Painted woven canvas by Jean Alexander Frater

fabulous spaces E AC H M O N T H W E C H O O S E O N E R O O M TO G E T YO U I N T H E H O U S E S M O O D

The 70s are back, baby! Interiors guru Kelly Wearstler has turned a 1950s Malibu beach house into a bohemian retreat for her family by mixing original details like the wood-panelled walls with iconic pieces of furniture and an abundance of greenery. It’s a delicious interiors cocktail livingetc.com

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fabulously functional Durable materials and acres of storage make the pared-back home of Emily Mayne, winner of our Reader Awards, perfect for family life X

PHOTOGRAPHY Anna Stathaki WORDS AND STYLING Mary Weaver

KITCHE N ‘We designed an open working area – avoiding wall units – to sit under the skylight,’ says Emily.

Ikea cabinets with bespoke fronts in Formica Polar White (F2255), Naked Kitchens. Precise wall lamp, House Doctor. OYOY Toppu black/white pot, Someday Designs. Onyx watering can, Garden Glory

houses

KITCHE N A huge bank of cupboards in durable Formica on the left holds everything from breakfast cereals to glassware.

Lincoln quartz worktop, Bloom Stones London at Top Granite Marble. Boiling water tap, Fohen. Case ceiling pendants; Muuto Fiber bar stools, all Someday Designs. Floor in Titanium, Microcement Supplies UK. Art on wall by Emily. Bespoke steel door, Cherwell Windows

DINING AREA All life happens around this table – entertaining, playing with the children – and the detritus gets hidden in the storage under the bench seating. A connection with the outside, provided by a large picture window, was crucial.

Walls in Shaded White, Farrow & Ball. Muuto Strand pendant lamp; Ferm Living Mingle table and trestles, all Someday Designs. J77 white chair (left), Hay. Vintage wooden chair, Alfies Antique Market. Sheepskins, Jord Home.

Rug, La Redoute

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houses

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t’s hard to imagine Emily Mayne and Paul Mooney’s beautiful Scandi-inspired home looking anything other than perfectly pristine, but when their two boys, Teddy, six, and Flynn, three, are here it becomes a playground for Power Rangers games and races around the kitchen island. The secret to its serene state, say the couple, is absolutely masses of storage, a place for everything and hard-wearing child-proof surfaces. ‘Actually, we’re a naturally neat family and the boys are displaying a tendency to liking things lined up and in order, so they’re pretty good at putting things back in place. We’re counting our blessings – so far,’ laughs Emily.

The couple bought their southeast London Victorian terraced home, in an area that’s coming up but not quite fashionable, as it offered great value space-wise, it’s close to a local park and because it’s a doable 40-minute cycle ride to Paul’s job as a finance director in the city. ‘We could have gone to a more popular area three miles down the road but that would have meant half the house for our money,’ says Emily, who founded online interiors shop Someday Designs, specialising in contemporary British and Scandi design, five years ago.

When they bought the house, with its generous bay-fronted rooms and south-

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facing garden in 2014, it was cosmetically okay but had scope for improvement. ‘Rather than rush into a refurbishment we decided to live in it to decide how we wanted it to evolve long term,’ says Emily. Over the years, they developed tick boxes: a large kitchendiner, a wood burner in the living room, a dedicated home office, a new main bedroom suite at the top of the property and, as luckily they’re not overlooked, as many large windows as possible. Now, after an 18-month renovation, they are enjoying the fruits of their labours.‘We did the roof extension first, while living in the house, which wasn’t too disruptive,’ explains Emily. ‘But then living through the kitchen and home office additions was much more of a challenge – not to be recommended.’

Overall, the house has been extended by one-third with the kitchen incorporating the side return and pushed out three metres into the garden and the new home office built above it. ‘Paul would be the first to admit that design isn’t his strong point but he was very good at trusting me to take the lead and then helping to veto ideas along the way,’ says Emily. ‘Sometimes I get lost in the details and his strength is seeing the wider picture.’

The kitchen-diner is the social hub of the house with a table for 10, which doubles as a

place for the children to draw and paint. The living room, with its original doors, floors and cornicing, was decorated rather than renovated and a marble fireplace added in keeping with the 1890s period of the house, plus that tick-list wood-burning stove – ‘worth every penny’ – but otherwise it was just a lick of paint, polish and furniture.

When it came to the decor, the couple chose natural materials and a palette of off-whites. ‘We wanted our home to feel timeless so based it on the colours we’ve always loved rather than being too tied to trends,’ says Emily. ‘Our neutral scheme works well with textures and a blend of period and modern pieces.’

With the boys occupying the work-inprogress first floor, the new second-floor bedroom and en suite is the couple’s personal space. ‘It feels like a retreat in the sky as we’re on the top of a hill,’ says Emily. The study is also a grown-up space, where Emily and Paul – when he’s not in the office – can work together. The couple have designed their home to grow with them. ‘It’s got the potential to be our forever home, but I have a secret urge to do a new build at some point – so who knows,’ says Emily.

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See Emily’s store at somedaydesigns.co.uk

home profile THE OWNERS Emily Mayne, founder of online store Someday Designs, husband Paul Mooney, a finance director for a commercial real estate company, and their two sons, Teddy, six, and Flynn, three.

THE PROPERTY A three-storey Victorian terraced house in southeast London. On the ground floor is a living room that opens onto the kitchen-diner, plus a cloakroom. Upstairs on the first floor are the two children’s bedrooms, a guest room, a family bathroom and a utility room. The extended top floor holds the home office, main bedroom and an en-suite shower room. There is a studio in the garden used for work, as a play area or an extra sitting room in the summer.

LIVING ROOM ‘It was important to have a focal point and we wanted the cosiness of a fire,’ says Emily.

Fireplace, Casa of Peckham.

Howie chair, Love Your Home.

Muuto Mingle cushion; Anse vase (on mantelpiece); shell pot; Hebe lamp, all Someday Designs. Stanford sideboard, The Conran Shop

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LIVING ROOM This part of the space is used as a playroom but was created with versatility in mind so it can evolve into a music room as the boys get older.

Original floor treated with clear matt Bona oil. Poster by Saul Steinberg bought in Sydney.

Chest of drawers, Graham and Green. Table lamp, designed in India by Emily. Muuto platform tray dish, Someday Designs.

Monochrome rug, Urbanara.

White vase, Caro Somerset.

Glass/oak candle, LSA

LIVING ROOM ‘We wanted a timeless, grown-up vibe here so chose a neutral backdrop that would accommodate a mix of period items with modern furniture,’ says Emily.

Muuto In Situ sofa; Muuto Around coffee table (near window); Ferm Living Dou ceiling pendant; Hebe table lamp and cushions, all Someday Designs. Throw, Country Road (Australia); find a similar knitted throw at Loaf. Small table (foreground), Kare Design

the blueprint LIVING ROOM

LIVING ROOM

KITCHEN DINER

BEDROOM

BED ROOM

BEDROOM

EN SUITE

B AT H ROOM BED ROOM

UTILITY

GROUND FLOOR

FIRST FLOOR

OFFICE

TOP FLOOR

S T U DY ‘This was designed as a workspace for the two of us and maximises our view over parkland beyond the garden,’ says Emily.

Walls in Wevet, Farrow & Ball.

The bespoke birch ply desk was made by a local carpenter.

J77 chair, Hay. Case pendant; Ferm Living Way rug, both Someday Designs

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S T U DY Perfect for inspiration or relaxing, the storage bench doubles up as seating.

Bespoke storage bench with a birch ply top made by a local carpenter. OYOY button cushion, Someday Designs.

Stripe linen cushion, Rodeo Home. DLM side table, Hay

home truths FAVO U R I T E C O L O U R C O M B O S ?

Neutrals and earthy tones with green, tan and terracotta.

E V E R Y H O M E S H O U L D H AV E …

A boiling water tap – honestly, it’s a game changer.

BIGGEST STYLE INFLUENCE? We lived in Australia for three years and love their architecture and design aesthetics.

DREAM HOME? It flips between a traditional Georgian detached house in the countryside to a modern self-built house with an internal courtyard garden. So let’s see what comes along first!

D E SCR I B E YO U R S T Y LE …

Scandi-inspired, minimal, neutral.

A N Y TH I N G YO U WO U LD D O D I F F E R E N T LY N E X T T I M E ?

Move out! Building work is chaotic by definition. .

A R E YO U FO R M OV E R F U N C TI O N ?

Function first, always.

MAIN BEDROOM ‘This cool calm haven in the roof extension was the first part of the building work and it was heaven to retreat to when there was mayhem below,’ says Emily.

Celeste Pearl carpet, Kersaint Cobb. Bed linen and bench, H&M Home. Cashmere throw, John Lewis & Partners. Muuto Lean pendant wall light; Copenhagen print by SOOuK, both Someday Designs

EN -SUITE S H OW E R R O O M ‘It was hard to find a rustic vanity in keeping with the Scandi theme, but I’m so pleased I persevered – it’s like a piece of nature that links to the outside,’ says Emily.

Vanity unit, Drench. Sink and taps, Lusso Stone. Case hanging pendant, Someday Designs.

Mirror, Marks & Spencer.

Concrete floor tiles, Abbey Tile Supplies. Rug, Urbanara.

Curtains, Ikea

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brooklyn cool The couple behind design studio Civilian used a dynamic mix of the vintage and the contemporary to bring originality to their historic brownstone X

PHOTOGRAPHY Brian W Ferry WORDS Karine Monié

KITCHE N Instead of trying to blend the cooker hood, the couple turned it into a contrasting focal point.

The fun continues with the island’s monochrome shelving.

Custom island with steel frame and arrabescatto marble top; 52 livingetc.com custom hood enclosure with red laminate finish, both Civilian

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EXTERIOR The facade of the house was updated, including repairs to the brownstone stoop and the addition of a bespoke cornice.

Front door and cornice in a colour similar to Railings by Farrow & Ball

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OFFICE AREA A custom desk area in the den creates a separate mini office, with the continued wall colour and flooring uniting it with the rest of the room.

Sconce, Lyskaer. Vintage chair, Bruno Rey

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DEN This rich colour palette was inspired by the Villa Cavrois library by Robert Mallet-Stevens.

Sofa by Stephen Kenn. Vintage nesting tables, Giotto Stoppino for Kartell. Rug, Oroboro. Walls in Benjamin Moore’s Cedar Path 454

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DINING AREA The couple added bespoke built-in shelving and desks with a plan for the children to use them for homework in the future.

Vintage Hoffmann chairs around table, Thonet. Desk chair, Bruno Rey. Molecular chandelier by Kaiser Leuchten

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or anyone who wants to buy a home in the Big Apple, two things are essential: knowing exactly what you want and being reactive. ‘Real estate in New York City is challenging and moves fast,’ say Nicko Elliott and Ksenia Kagner, the duo behind building and interior design studio Civilian. ‘We searched for the perfect place for over a year.’ One of the things that convinced them that this threestorey 1890s home (the upper floor is currently rented out) was the right one was its location in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. ‘The neighbourhood has cultural and historical significance,’ says Nicko.

‘It is very quiet and everyone on the block knows each other on a firstname basis. This is super rare and we cherish these connections.’

Before embarking on a full renovation, the architect couple lived in the house for three years. ‘By this point, we had a very clear idea of what we needed as our family doubled with the arrival of our two daughters,’ says Ksenia. On the exterior, the front facade was restored to uncover the original brick and a contemporary cornice was added. Inside, Nicko and Ksenia decided to move the kitchen and living space to the tall, historically detailed parlour level. The private areas, which include the bedrooms, a den, a bathroom and a laundry closet, are now situated on the garden level accessible via a white oak staircase with a stepped marble-clad handrail. The couple also created easier access to the garden with a new U-shaped stair made of stripped steel that references iconic New York City fire escapes.

Period features were restored and sympathetic new elements added – the American oak parquet flooring echoes the home’s original white oak diagonal parquet. Floor-to-ceiling hand-finished maple bookshelves with a writing desk and lower cabinets flank the central corridor that leads to the kitchen/dining room. ‘Rather than creating an open-floor plan, a single monolithic joinery ‘block’ creates distinct zones,’ explains Nicko.

References to the 1970s and inter-war central European architecture pervade the home. ‘We customised every aspect of the townhouse so it’s a specific reflection of our own sensibilities right now,’ says Ksenia. ‘The design draws from everything from the rich palette found in Milanese homes to the bold use of colour in the work of French architect Robert Mallet-Stevens.’ The mix certainly works, with the eclectic yet cohesive atmosphere acting as an ode to both the history of the original house and the creativity of the founders of a young, growing design practice.

home profile THE OWNERS Nicko Elliott and Ksenia Kagner, who are architects and the founders of building and interior design studio Civilian, live here with their two children, Fennel, four, and Bovi, 18 months.

THE PROPERTY A townhouse in Brooklyn built in 1895.

Situated across three levels – garden, parlour and upper (currently a rental unit) – the family occupies the first two floors. The parlour level has a living room, powder room and open-plan kitchen-diner. The garden level comprises a den, two bedrooms and a bathroom and laundry.

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home truths FAVO U R I T E DESIGN BRAND? Taste questions aside, Ikea does amazing things. Its systems (cabinets, closets, etc) are terrific and its emphasis on sustainability and commitment to affordability does get thoughtfully designed and humanely made products into the hands of the masses.

G O -TO WA L L COLOUR? A cream white or a light grey that has a lot of colour in it is great.

Desaturated wall colours and warm LED lights create an unpleasant sepia feeling. Of course, there is no bad colour, just bad handling of colour.

DREAM PIECE OF FURNITURE? We’ll take a JJP Oud dining set with a Gaetano Pesce vase any day of the week.

BIGGEST DESIGN M I S TA K E ?

Timidity – it’s always best to show all the way up.

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MAIN BEDROOM Crisp white walls allow colourful art and textiles to sing.

Custom headboard, Raf Simons for Kvadrat. Akari VB-13C pendant, Isamu Noguchi.

Painting by Aaron Elvis Jupin

the blueprint

KITCHEN DINER

LIVING ROOM

PA L O U R L E V E L

BEDROOM

S TA I R C A S E BEDROOM

DEN

The couple took their inspiration from Austrian architect Adolf Loos.

Stepped handrail clad in cremo tirreno marble

GARDEN LEVEL

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artistic licence Edgy colours and arresting works of art delivered a good dose of individuality to this gorgeous house

PHOTOGRAPHY James Merrell X

STYLING Mary Weaver WORDS Rachel Leedham

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houses D R AW I N G R O O M The walls have had a polished plaster treatment that brings a seductive sense of movement.

Ona pendant, Kaia. Nizwa cabinet, Bethan Gray. Feather lamp, A Modern Grand Tour. Calypso rug, The Rug Company. Photograph (left), Sam Taylor-Johnson

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‘ I a lways k new th is house cou ld ta ke a lot of colou r,’ says Fiona A rmstrong of the jewel hues a nd f lash meta l l ics that weave thei r way th rough the f ive f loors of her Regency terrace. ‘When we first moved in, we went for a neutral base with accents of colour but I sensed we could be much braver. This is a London townhouse and I wanted it to be fun.’

statement lighting that emphasises the soaring ceilings – while the loss of the first-floor social space was mitigated with a new snug situated in a glazed extension built above the cloakroom.

‘We created it so that our teenage sons and their friends have somewhere to hang out,’ Fiona explains.

The resulting schemes – which Livingetc readers were able to witness first-hand during House Tours Live last September – come courtesy of interior designer Jo Berryman, who taught Fiona some important While the couple were happy to sell or give away a lot of their existing furniture, they possess an extensive, lessons when it comes to working with colour. ‘I ever-growing collection of art that they learnt that everything doesn’t need to perfectly wanted to celebrate in the new schemes. The coordinate,’ recounts Fiona. ‘If you take the cue for the main bedroom’s curvy art-deco family room, Jo suggested a multicoloured THE OWNERS forms and calming palette of eau de Nil, oyster floral rug and a blue-green sofa and coral Fiona Armstrong, her financier and blush pink, therefore, was provided by a ottoman, all of which made absolute sense, but husband and their three children, 1920s gouache of Parisian actress and singer then she threw in a large-scale geometric print in Jacob, 18, Ben, 16, and Clara, 10.

Mistinguett that hangs above the fireplace. acid yellow for the wing chair. It doesn’t relate to While the moody, Nordic blue walls in the anything else in the space, yet it is so effective.’

THE PROPERTY drawing room – created using a polished A Grade II-listed Regency plaster treatment – were chosen as a foil to a It is curveballs such as these that add a little townhouse in north London with contemporary reinterpretation of François irreverence to the interiors of the gracious kitchen, utility, dining room and Boucher’s The Three Graces, picked up by Grade II-listed house, which Fiona and her family space, drawing room, library, the couple at a graduate show. husband renovated from top to toe in 2018. cloakroom, office, main suite and snug, three children’s bedrooms ‘We lived here for seven years before we took and a guest room – all en suite.

The common theme between the spaces is the the plunge, which was just as well as in that time, sober architectural shell – fumed oak, antiqued we had our third child, Clara, and so we needed bronze and natural stone provide an earthy backdrop that helps tie another bedroom,’ explains Fiona, whose architect convinced the palettes together. ‘As you move from one space to the next, there the couple to turn their first-floor drawing room into a main suite is a sense that everything is connected,’ approves Fiona, who adds, in order to have a total of five bedrooms. The lower ground floor ‘The real test of this redesign was when we all found ourselves at was opened up and a pastiche, Victoriana-style extension was home during the pandemic. Everyone had their own space to work or replaced with a double-height glass box featuring a glazed study, and then we would all get together on the slouchy sofa in the mezzanine that Fiona uses as a home office. family room. We use every part of the house, which I think says it all.’

The ground-floor reception spaces became a chic drawing room X and a library-cum-study – think plush velvet furniture and @joberrymanstudio, joberryman.com

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houses FA M I LY R O O M This space cleverly doubles as a cinema when the black-out blinds on all the glazing are drawn.

Photograph on aluminium, Bridget Smith. Standard sofa, Francesco Binfaré for Edra.

Ottoman in polyurethane synthetic leather, Ultrafabrics.

Pumpkin armchair by Pierre Paulin, Ligne Roset. Skarlenka Splashed rug, Front

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houses DINING ROOM Shelves backed with antiqued mirror bounce the light around and help ramp up the glam factor, along with the chandelier.

Unite wallpaper, the Oculaire collection, Arte. Bolle chandelier, Giopato & Coombes. Bespoke table, Rupert Bevan. Painting (in reflection), Gareth Edwards

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KITCHE N The mix of materials on the units makes for a dynamic space.

Xila kitchen with base units in Solid Old Grey pinewood and surfaces and splashbacks in Quartzite Calacatta, Boffi.

Stay bar stools, Sé. Celestial Pebble pendant light, Ochre.

Concrete floor, Lazenby

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H A L LWAY

LIB R ARY

Antiqued glass panels give double whammy visuals of the pendant. The subtly distressed wallpaper has a soft sheen that works well with the mirrored look.

Near-black joinery and herringbone parquet in fumed oak offer a moody foil to colourful pieces.

Shelves in Off-Black, Farrow & Ball. Bespoke rug, Jo Berryman.

Fresnel pendant light, Eporta.

Raconteur chaise, Amy Somerville

Volt wallpaper from the Alchemy collection, Arte. Emi alabaster wall lights and Luna alabaster pendant, all Atelier Alain Ellouz. Antiqued mirror panels in GP2 Fossil Old Gold finish, Dominic Schuster

CLARA’S BEDROOM Shades of dusky pink, yellow and pistachio are a pretty combination. Jo designed the curtained bed as the perfect place to hide away with a book.

M A I N B AT H R O O M The doors of the walk-through dressing area have an elegant wabi-sabi effect.

Harlequin Rose wallpaper by Ferm Living, This Modern Life.

Aurora feather pendant shade, Graham and Green

Iceland bath, Boffi. Diamond tiles, Via Arkadia

the blueprint B AT H R O O M

BEDROOM

BEDROOM

BEDROOM

BEDROOM

MAIN BEDROOM

FIRST FLOOR

KITCHEN

SECOND FLOOR

DINING ROOM

F A M I LY ROOM

LOWE R G ROU N D FLOOR

D R AW I N G ROOM

THIRD FLOOR

L I B R A R Y/ OFFICE

GROUND FLOOR

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home truths BEST DESIGN DECISION? Moving the main bedroom into the former drawing room.

A N Y TH I N G YO U ’ D D O D I F F E R E N T LY ?

Squeeze in two dishwashers!

W H AT ’ S G R E AT A B O U T LIVING WITH COLOUR? I think it brings joy.

W H AT S H O U L D E V E R Y H O M E H AV E ?

A family room – it’s our favourite space where we all hang out.

FORM OR FUNCTION? Both, ideally.

P I E CE O F A R T YO U ’ D LOVE TO OWN? A painting by Vilhelm Hammershøi.

MAIN BEDROOM From the ruched velvet on the bed to the ombré curtains – all these details add up to a dreamy and whimsical sleep space.

Headboard in Serenity in Dusk, de Le Cuona. Curtains in Ombré velvet, Kevin O’Brien Studio

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EXPERT ADVICE

narrow room ideas I N T E R I O R D E S I G N E R J O B E R RY M A N R E V E A L S H E R A P P R OAC H TO M A X I M I S I N G S L E N D E R S PAC E S I N F I O N A’ S E L E G A N T TOW N H O U S E

FEATURE RACHEL LEEDHAM PHOTOGRAPH JAMES MERRELL

THE EXPERT Fiona’s Regency townhouse is defined by its handsome proportions and period details but also features a number of small spaces that required careful thought in order to make them work hard for her family. The hallway – the first thing visitors see on entering the house – is relatively narrow, so we needed to play to its attributes such as the soaring ceiling and the light that floods in from the transom window above the door.

The tiny first-floor snug, which is essentially a modern glazed insertion above the cloakroom, is the teenagers’ hangout, so needed to be an informal space where they could relax with their friends.

COMFORT IS KEY to creating a kickback zone so we maximised textures in the snug with a hotel-quality carpet and shag-pile rug, both of which are brilliant for the acoustics of the room. The snug is accessed via the landing’s original glazed doors so I had a velvet curtain made up which can be pulled across so that you feel enveloped in the space. Two of the walls are mostly glass but this didn’t deter us from using a graphic sisal wallpaper on the remaining areas: the punchy geometric print is from the same family as the wallpaper in the dining room and has a playful, slightly 1970s vibe, while the sisal adds another tactile layer.

become complete spheres in the reflection. With the addition of a pendant light from the same range, you get the magical effect of a solar system as you enter the house. Beneath the dado rail, we hung a teal and rust coloured wallpaper that has a slight reflective sheen so that it subtly bounces around the light.

MAKING THE MOST OF THE SLIM SPACE I used the only completely solid wall to create floor-to-ceiling bespoke joinery that houses everything from the TV to books and display items. It has a lacquer finish in Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue, which is quite a moody hue, but I don’t shy away from dark colours in small spaces.

WALL-HUNG PIECES are brilliant for economising on space and we selected a floating console table in the hallway that incorporates useful drawers to house all manner of paraphernalia. The gold mirror finish adds a little visual pop which is another of my rules when working with narrow spaces: when lacking in width – amp it up with the finishes.

AN OVERSIZED PIECE OF FURNITURE can dramatically change the feel of a room, making it feel more generous than it really is. We chose an off-the-peg chaise sofa to literally fill the space; with the addition of a slouchy bean bag, there’s ample seating for a gathering of friends. The Seville Orange upholstery is a nice contrast to the blues of the wallpaper and joinery and we added more jewel tones with glass bottles on the windowsill.

UNDERPIN COLOURFUL SCHEMES with classic materials.

In the hallway, we used herringbone parquet in reclaimed French oak which runs throughout the ground floor, providing a common thread that connects all the spaces, large or small.

IT IS AN OLD TRICK BUT a reflective surface really does visually widen a narrow space. For the hallway, we used beautiful foxed mirrored panels to provide a soft reflection, hanging halfmoon alabaster wall lights onto the panels so that they cleverly

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the sweet spot In this Sydney bungalow, design studio Arent & Pyke aced a real sanctuary feel by getting the balance of light and colour just right

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WORDS Leanne Amodeo PHOTOGRAPHY Anson Smart

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houses home profile THE OWNERS Merran Edwards, a CFO in real estate asset management, her husband Aaron Lamshed, head of equity capital markets, syndication at Goldman Sachs, and their two teenage sons, Jack and Charlie.

THE PROPERTY A Federation bungalow in Sydney.

It has a living room, dining room, kitchen, formal living room, two bedrooms and a powder room on the ground floor. The first floor accommodates the main bedroom, en suite, walk-in wardrobe/dressing area and study, while the basement comprises the laundry, cellar and a storage space.

FORMAL LIVING ROOM ‘This space called for something with guts,’ says designer SarahJane of the mustard walls.

Painting, Hannah Nowlan. 637 Utrecht chairs, Cassina. Custom wool and silk rug, Tibet Sydney.

Herodotus shelving, Barbera

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LIVING ROOM The decor takes its cue from the rich colours in the Laura Jones painting. Earthy hues have a way of being both bold and serene.

Aston sofa, Minotti. Kim bench

by Luca Nichetto, De La Espada.

Loren side table, Baxter. Reuber Henning rug, Halcyon Lake

home truths D E S I G N D E S T I N AT I O N I N S Y D N E Y ?

Cult for furniture and there’s a little place called The DEA Store in Redfern that stocks gorgeous objects for the home.

I NTE R I O R S TR E N D YO U ’ R E C U R R E N T LY C O V E T I N G ?

I’m a bit obsessed with Athena Calderone’s style right now.

FAVO U R I T E P L AC E T O S E E A R T ?

I love Saint Cloche in Paddington, a little gallery in Orange called The Corner Store Gallery and Michael Reid in Chippendale. I also love anything curated by Amber Creswell Bell.

W H AT ’ S N E X T O N YO U R WISH LIST FOR THE HOME? Always more art and ceramics. The immediate focus though is a studio/pool cabana where our sons and their friends can hang out.

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erran Edwards and her husband Aaron Lamshed had long admired the house threedoors down from where they lived in Sydney’s leafy eastern suburb of Queens Park. They loved the Federation bungalow’s heritage exterior, the huge park across the road and the fact the house had front and back access. So when the pair learned it was going on the market, they rang the real estate agent and purchased it that day.

While the house was in good condition, former renovations had erased many of its original features. Undeterred, Merran knew she wanted a home with old world charm in contrast to the contemporary extensions that pepper many of Sydney’s suburbs. As soon as Merran had moved in with Aaron and their teenage sons, Jack and Charlie, she called Arent & Pyke.

‘I’d worked with Sarah-Jane Pyke 10 years ago and she did a beautiful job,’ says Merran. ‘She understands the need for a functional home to have character and still be family friendly.’

When it came to the brief, Merran’s only wish was the outcome not be monochrome.

Sarah-Jane was given free rein and worked with architect Ben Vitale of Vitale Design to get the home’s bones just right. It involved a demolition (with the exception of the front rooms , which were turned into two bedrooms and a bathroom), creating a basement and adding a top floor below the existing pitch.

The new built form is modest in scale but has a well-proportioned interior, with arched doors that open up the living room and kitchen to the backyard. ‘I was travelling to Los Angeles at the time and came back with a Santa Barbara vibe, so those doors pay homage to the Spanish colonial style I love,’ says Merran. It also served

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as the framework into which Sarah-Jane could articulate her relaxed, light-filled design.

Arent & Pyke is known for bold decorating choices, eclectic styling and use of colour. SarahJane applied it all with a deft hand, beginning in the kitchen. ‘I thought the joinery needed to be quiet because it’s such a bright space, so I chose eucalyptus green with a grey undertone,’ says Sarah-Jane. ‘It had to anchor that space and create depth in the living areas.’ An elegant marble breakfast bar completes the scheme.

In the living area, Sarah-Jane’s passion for colour again prevails, with the rich blues and greens of the Laura Jones painting driving the furniture selection. But not all of the designer’s choices were met with certainty. ‘When the mustard colour went onto the living room’s walls, the builder and I just looked at each other,’ says Merran. ‘I called Sarah-Jane and said it doesn’t look right. She said, “Trust me.”’ The mustard is indeed the perfect complement to the restored ornate ceiling and brown marble fireplace. Next to the vintage coffee table SarahJane sourced in Paris and Hannah Nowlan painting, anything less daring would have paled.

This artwork is one of many in Merran and Aaron’s collection, which includes a Mark Tweedie painting in the main bedroom. It punctuates the serene mood, adding interest to what is the home’s most stylistically restrained zone. Both floors have been furnished to give the art breathing space and the result is a bright and breezy yet sophisticated sanctuary. As SarahJane says, ‘This house is one of those “everything you need and nothing you don’t” spaces.’

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S T U DY In-built American oak joinery and a floating desk make the most of this space.

Joinery with wall upholstery in Kvadrat felt. Swivel chairs, Hay. Rug, Halcyon Lake.

Tolomeo wall light, Artemide

CLOSET Even the smallest spaces have been enlivened with pattern.

For similar oak flooring, try The Natural Wood Floor Co

DRESSING ROOM Black metalwork breaks up the all-white scheme.

Arc Well pendant light, Allied Maker. Tired Man chair, Lassen

BEDROOM The oversized globe light is an informal counterpoint to the restored ornate ceiling.

Custom bedhead and window seat, Arent & Pyke. Society Limonta bed linen, Ondene.

Curtains, Simple Studio.

Rug, Natural Floorcovering Centres. Akari 75A pendant light, Isamu Noguchi

B AT H R O O M Taking the tiles almost up to the ceiling creates a chic look.

Hexagon mosaic wall tiles, Olde English Tiles. Hex Fractal floor tiles, Popham Design.

Ottocento bath, Agape

the blueprint

LOWE R G ROU N D FLOOR

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BEDROOM

GROUND FLOOR

LIVING ROOM

S T U DY S TO R AG E

DINING ROOM

BED ROOM

PA N T RY

S TO R AG E

L AU NDRY

CELLAR

LIVING ROOM

KITCHEN

MAIN BEDROOM

DRESSING ROOM

FIRST FLOOR

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curtains LOV E T H E S M A R T LO O K T H AT S H E E R S A N D D R A P E S P R OV I D E ? V I L L A N OVA’ S C R E ATI V E D I R E C TO R H AY L E Y M C A F E E E X P L A I N S W H Y T H E S E W I N D OW DRESSINGS ENHANCE A HOME

choosing the right fabric Plain or patterned, whatever your preference, let the material be your guide to what will work best

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It’s a good idea to order fabric samples before finally making your choice, so that you can try them out in the room where you plan to hang them. This gives you the opportunity to see if they sit with the existing décor and how they work with the daylight in the room.

Consider the pole, rings and fastenings while choosing the style of fabric and decide if the scale and style of the pole is to be a feature of the overall scheme or whether you prefer it to be more discreet, where its colour blends with the wall behind it.

One of the current fabric trends for curtains is for patterns and motifs. Rather than being a discreet part of the decor, curtains are becoming a centrepiece for the room and as such there is a willingness to go bolder with the fabric choice.

Semi-plain fabrics in a classic linen colour will never date and allow for updates to the rest of the room. Additionally, a sheer curtain never goes out of style and can work in any type of home.

Lightweight fabrics made from natural fibres are the best option for a relaxed, soft and floaty look. Linen is a great choice – its natural texture adds a wonderful softness to a space.

Combining natural textures to create a soft, ‘cocooned’ feel can be created by having a heavier blind with floaty curtains or by adding a border to the bottom section of the curtains in a different texture or colour. Linen drapes with a border of velvet, for example, give a luxurious look. Trimmings are a great way to add character to curtains, whether they’re plain or patterned.

Personally, I prefer full-length curtains as the extra weight enables the fabrics to drape better and the result is far more elegant.

The benefit of adding a lining is that it adds more depth to the curtains, while enhancing the colour of the fabric on the face side and protecting the curtain from fading due to sun exposure.

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Linen has a relaxed look that brings a laid-back feel to a room. If you’re selecting linen for bedroom curtains, have them made with black-out lining. An eco-friendly option, linen is made from the flax plant, which requires less water and fewer pesticides than cotton, and can be processed without using chemicals.

Aurea Grey line, £30m, loomandlast.com

WO O L A N D LINEN MIX If it’s privacy with panache that you’re after, this linen and wool mix fabric will deliver. Sheer enough to let light in, the mid-weight mix has a slightly rustic textured tonal effect that will drape beautifully at your windows when open or closed and comes in a range of colours.

Lauziere Grass, £92m, designersguild.com

BRUSHED COT TON Naturally breathable and durable, with good insulation capabilities, brushed cotton is a versatile fabric that works well across all seasons and in any space, whether formal or relaxed. Neither too thick nor thin, it has a soft tactile texture, hangs beautifully and is easy to wash.

Seville Tusk washable brushed cotton, £29.50m, villanova.co.uk

REPREVE A new kid on the block and another eco choice, Repreve is woven with yarn that’s made from recycled plastic bottles. It’s hard-wearing yet surprisingly soft and natural to touch and is ideal for heavy drapes.

It can be cleaned with upholstery shampoo or wiped with a cloth, and is available in 12 muted shades.

Revive Radiant fabric, £25m, stitched.co.uk

FEATURE JACKY PARKER

Dressing your windows with substantial fabrics such as thick linens, luxurious wools or sumptuous velvets not only creates an elegant drape but also retains heat, prevents drafts and guarantees privacy. Alternatively, lightweight fabrics will softly diffuse light, have an airy feel and look beautiful when draped.

on the wild side

With its playful designs and tropical touches, this classic Parisian apartment is anything but tame

houses X

PHOTOGRAPHY Benjamin Colombel WORDS Karine Monié

DINING ROOM Every chair has its own fabric for a joyous, free feel and the cubicles in the bespoke bookcases have been papered.

Chairs upholstered by Nathalie Gagneux. Concorde table, Poliform. Screen XL pendant light by Market Set. Bookcases

by GCG Architectes

houses

home profile THE OWNERS Sarah and Guillaume, who live here with their two children, Ulysse, seven, and Andrea, four.

THE PROPERTY A 19th-century Haussmann fourth-floor apartment in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarter of Paris, featuring a living room, dining room, kitchen-diner, playroom, laundry, three bedrooms (one en suite), a WC and two bathrooms.

f

or Sarah and Guillaume, a dynamic French couple with two young sons, it was love at first sight when finding their apartment in the charming quarter of Saint-Germain-des-Prés on Paris’ Left Bank. ‘It took us a lot of time to find the perfect place,’ says Sarah. ‘We looked for a home in this specific area of the city without noise and with a lot of light! We visited many apartments for more than one year.’ It was clearly worth the wait.

Before being able to move in two years ago, the family entrusted French studio GCG Architectes, founded by Alexandre Goulet, Olivia Charpentier and Dev Gupta, to embark on a complete renovation.

The project started with the transformation of the floor plan to make it more functional. Two apartments were put together and then the rooms reconfigured. Some walls were removed, storage was incorporated and several pieces of furniture were made to measure.

‘We gave carte blanche to GCG Architectes, who listened to us and perfectly understood how to embellish all our desires,’ say Sarah and Guillaume, who discovered the work of the architects through magazines and social media. The generous spaces and traditional features were also instrumental in convincing the pair to buy this home, which abounds in natural light accentuated by its high ceilings.

Other classic elements of the Parisian architecture were preserved and restored, including the fireplaces and Point de Hongrie parquet flooring, giving personality to the spaces. At the same time, some bold, exotic elements – such as wallpapers with floral and plant motifs – and touches of bright colours were added through the decoration to create a new and unique atmosphere.

All the rooms were inspired by a theme of travel, reflecting the

adventurous lifestyle of the family, starting with the blue entrance reminiscent of the sky and a large rug underfoot mimicking a floor of flowers, while the yellow and earthy tones of the bedroom corridor conjure up images of a savannah landscape. ‘We love all the rooms, but if we had to choose maybe we would pick the kitchen because it’s where we have breakfast all together around a table designed by GCG Architectes, featuring the flight of birds,’ says Guillaume. ‘What makes this apartment unique is the harmony between the spaces and the little details that add fun and personality.’ Inspired by a river in Venezuela, the elegant living room features an eclectic aesthetic with its Ananbô wallpaper and lush rug. ‘Without hesitation, our favourite piece is the coffee table in green marble and brass, which was custom designed by GCG Architectes and handmade in India,’ says Guillaume. While over in the main bedroom, a tropical framed wallpaper mural feels simultaneously fun and peaceful. In every nook, motifs of plants, flowers and animals bring nature indoors.

As a couple who work a lot and exercise most days, Sarah and Guillaume needed a home that would allow them to recharge and relax, which is exactly what has been created. ‘It is a haven of peace where we really disconnect,’ says Sarah. ‘And the tour de force doesn’t stop here. Thanks to their clear vision, the architects truly honoured the old soul of the place while introducing contemporary accents to make anyone feel as though they are simultaneously in Paris and everywhere else! Above all, we wanted a joyful and poetic home and they have helped us achieve that.’

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GCG Architectes, gcg.archi

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houses the blueprint KITCHEN MAIN BEDROOM LIVING ROOM

P L AY R O O M

BEDROOM

BEDROOM

L AU NDRY

GROUND FLOOR

KITCHE N - DINE R ‘It’s a functional and beautiful room where graphic block colours meet classic elements such as the mouldings,’ says Sarah.

Kitchen designed by GCG Architectes; painted in Orange Aurora by Little Greene and Stiffkey Blue by Farrow & Ball

DINING ROOM

DINING AREA A row of lush houseplants acts as a living screen, helping to separate the kitchen workspace and seating area.

Table designed by GCG Architectes. Pendant lights, Lambert & Fils. Calée wall light, CVL Luminaires

home truths S T Y L E I N S P I R AT I O N ?

We like the design from the 1930s.

G O -TO CO LO U R FO R A WA L L? Blue-grey.

B I G G E S T D E S I G N M I S TA K E ?

Not choosing GCG Architectes for our first apartment!

FAVO U R I T E D E C O R AT I V E E L E M E N T ?

Wallpaper.

M U S T- H AV E H O M E ACCESSORY? It has to be rugs.

EN -SUITE B AT H R O O M ‘Thanks to the mirrored, framed wall panel, it almost looks like there is a window,’ says Sarah.

Floor tiles by Popham Design.

Try Grohe for a similar brushed metal bath/shower mixer tap

houses

MAIN BEDROOM A dividing wall adorned with a wallpaper frame creates the effect of a monumental and decorative headboard.

Wallpaper by Ananbô.

Wall behind bed in Bleu Persan by Argile

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Impala Ink curtain with Lime lining (127x137cm), from £185 incl measuring and fitting; cushions in Wild Cobalt, Wild Sienna and Impala Ink, from £32 each; seat pad in Impala Citrine, from £33m, all Hillarys x Livingetc

decorating A CO O L CO L L E C T I O N S E T S T H E TO N E FO R O U R S T Y L E S E C T I O N

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI

A one-stop shop designed to ease the torment of indecision, our fashionforward fabric range with Hillarys lets you customise curtain linens, match cushions and choose complementary trims using our pool of fabulous designs in bright tones and bold motifs. Refreshing a room just got oh-so simple livingetc.com

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grey partners

The enduring shade gets a fresh look when combined with the new season’s key colours X

PHOTOGRAPHY Jon Day STYLIST Jennifer Haslam

D E C O R AT I N G

WA R M F R O N T A half-painted wall is a great way to introduce rich colour into a contemporary space – and a cool grey concrete tiled floor is a spot on foil for this warm ochre shade.

Walls in Middle Buff and French Grey absolute matt emulsion, £48.50 for 2.5ltr, Little Greene. Goswell dining table, £1,795; Kota rug, £190, both Graham and Green. Ella armchair (left), £1,892, Porada.

No 7 chair (right) by Helge Sibast for Sibast Furniture, £775, Aram. Pia chair, £804, Twentytwentyone. Bardi pendant light, £279, Lights & Lamps. Speckled dinnerware in Burnt Sienna, from £15 a piece; chopping board, £42; napkin, £15, cutlery, £30 for 4 pieces, all The Conran Shop.

Teapot, £125, Pottery West.

Sun Cup ceramic, £14, Lucia Ocejo at Artists & Objects.

Bowl, £45, Rebecca Proctor

EARTH BOUND Team deep earthy tones and textural pieces with dark grey for the ultimate living room retreat.

Durwyn bouclé sofa, £5,800, Kent and London. Clemo coffee table, from £2,676, Gallotti&Radice. Mag table, £595, The Conran Shop. Tessa armchair, £3,752, Flexform.

Jarret rug, £1,095, Soho Home.

Curtains in 7558/59 Forenza Chutney cotton velvet, £69m, Romo. Huntlee side table, £599, Arteriors. Ardini lamp, £139, Lights & Lamps. Candle holder, £195, Henry Holland.

Pink round cushion, £199; rectangular cushion, £135, both Couverture & The Garbstore.

Striped cushion, £110, The Conran Shop. Cups and bowls, £38 each, Reiko Kaneko at SCP. Splashes mug, £30, Aku Ceramics at Artists and Objects. Vase, £110, Labaco.

Blackberry faux stems, £15 each, Fox Flowers. Walls in Tallanstown Grey pure flat emulsion, £51 for 2.5ltr, Paint & Paper library

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D E C O R AT I N G

BLUE SK Y THINKING Lift a sleek grey kitchen with some colour-blocking – a panel insert on an island can be painted in a pale blue (the colour of the moment) or a splashback can get the blue treatment.

Ludlow bar stools, £400 each, Neptune. Etsu bowl, £90; jug, £39, both Design Vintage.

Cheese dome, £110; plate, £25; toaster, £83, all Alessi at Amara. Mini Aplomb pendant light, £243; chopping board, £99, both The Conran Shop.

Island panel in Celestial Blue eggshell £48.50 for 2.5ltr, Little Greene

GREEN & SERENE Textured materials, green hues (think olive, khaki or sage) and grey equals a marvellous modern rustic look.

Siena sideboard, £1,159, Ercol.

(From left) Reverse lamp, £539, Utility Design. Jug, £18; plate, £27, both Borja Moronta at Artists & Objects. Concrete planter, £30; footed bowl, £115, both SCP. Bud vases, £51 (ribbed); £21.95 (round), Lindform. Wooden bowls, £30 (small); £60 (large), Hue Home.

Ekero Square side table, £1,220, Porada. Vessel 01 print, £70, Studio Shimo at Artists & Objects. Walls in Tallanstown Grey pure flat emulsion, £51 for 2.5ltr, Paint & Paper library

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M E L L OW Y E L L OW Introducing a bold statement colour on a key piece of furniture within a dark grey space allows the bright colour to shine. Deep navy accent shades work well as a secondary tone.

Curveball bed in Burnished Yellow velvet, £1,565, Loaf.

Astol bench, £1,522, Porada.

Sting side table, £282, Cattelan Italia at Chaplins. Linen curtains, £69 for a single curtain; linen duvet cover, £149 for a king-size; linen pillowcases, £18 each, all Secret Linen Store. Navy cushion, £69; Indigo Grid throw, £320, both Stitch by Stitch. Beatrix cushion, £84, Neptune. Arum floor lamp, £669; Asko rug, £152, both Heal’s. Cup, £120, Maud & Mabel. Bloomingville candle holder, £42 for 2, Amara. (On bench) Block tray, £90, Monologue London.

Bud vases, £21.95 each, Lindform. Walls in Mole’s Breath estate emulsion, £57 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball

M O O DY B L U E S Sophisticated navy and indigo pair well with dark greys as they are tonally similar. Creating a sense of balance and serenity, this soothing combo in a home working space would help you focus on the task at hand.

Madame desk, £1,639, Calligaris. Ilse Crawford CH26 chair, £1,164, Carl Hansen & Søn.

Print, £45 House of Quinn at Artists & Objects. Pots, £110 for both (additional pieces can be added to create a composition), Labaco. Brass pen holder, £25; Omni tape dispenser, £240, both Amara. Stationery, from £8, Present & Correct. Notebooks, £12 each, Papersmiths. Wooden horse, £165, Mark McGinnis for SCP. Mushroom table lamp, £249, Heal’s. Walls in Mole’s Breath estate emulsion, £57 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball

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D E C O R AT I N G

liv ing rooms: the edit FOU R ME MB E RS OF THE LIVING ETC TE AM HAVE CRE ATE D THE IR PE RFEC T LOU NG E LOOK – WHICH ST YLE ARE YOU?

Serenity Seaglass voile curtains, from £59 for W127x137cm drop, Hillarys

Cow chair, £2,244, Julian Chichester

Vintage onyx plinth, £780 for two, AU Bespoke

Denari table lamp, £79, Lights & Lamps Aftas jute rug, from £51, La Redoute

Sennen curved sofa, price on request, Sedilia

Balham mirrored tray, £220, Sweetpea & Willow

FEATURE PIP RICH

Hepworth armchair, from £1,193, Love Your Home x Livingetc

Mellow Sage breatheasy coloured emulsion, £20 for 2.5ltr, Crown

Loutro vase, £75, Oka

Mag Oblong table

by Daniel Schofield, £845, The Conran Shop

the modern ma ximalist A blend of creams and greens makes for a serene backdrop on which to layer bold f urnishings – a more-is-more approach by editor Pip R ich livingetc.com

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Hand-knotted indigo and turmeric silk, linen and hemp Chimes rug, £13,428, Ochre

Banana fibre Anders pendant, £1,575, Pinch

Pressed resin table No. 6, £1,725, Floris Wubben, SCP

New York Love Stories (Hot Dogs) print, from £70, Lucy J Mahon

Wood and rattan bench, £299, Zara Home

Jean Roger braided splatter Tresse earthenware and enamel pitcher, £444, The Invisible Collection

Kala Rama indigo check cushion with frill, £55, Montes & Clark

new rustic Earthy hues and trad pieces are coupled with off beat accessories in news and shopping editor Rohini Wahi’s soulful living room edit 106

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FEATURE ROHINI WAHI

Easy Peasy sofa in Poached Pear, £1,985 for a medium sofa, Loaf

D E C O R AT I N G Banquet in the Desert throw, £200, Kara Rose Marshall for Tuft Luck Studio

Paperknife lounge chair, from £2,717, Kai Kristiansen for Miyazaki Chair Factory at Aram Store

Rattan basket with bamboo handle, £29.99, Zara Home

Berens three-seater sofa in Dahlia linen, £3,495, Soho Home

Bad Kitty table lamp, £1,800, with rattan Bad Kitty shade, £990, both David Netto for Soane Britain

Theatre Pot 3, £540, Katie Moore at M.A.H

Konig sideboard, £5,600, Galvin Brothers

Belushi side table, £1,392, Julian Chichester

FEATURE JO BAILEY

Interconnect candleholder, £230, Colin King for Menu

unconventional classics Incorporating evocative shapes and colours w ith mid-centur y desig ns gives news and shopping editor Jo Bailey ’s space an edge livingetc.com

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Agate coasters in Green, £50 for set of 4, Luxe at Amara

Vintage peach and teal Beni Ourain rug, £1,499, Ian Snow

Moroccan leather pouffe in Sage, £100, Bohemia Design

Large plum polka-dot plant sculpture, £150, Brazen Botany

Reclaimed teak coffee table, £235, An Artful Life Dou braided rattan floor lamp, £399, Ferm Living at Rose & Grey

All Roads Shae accent chair, £798, Anthropologie

Mini raindrop mirror in brass, £9, We Are Nomads

wanderlust boho chic Shopping editor Holly Phillips wants a laid-back liv ing space that w ill transpor t her to warmer climes 108

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FEATURE HOLLY PHILLIPS

Disrupted Symphony dark floral cushion, from £45, Gillian Arnold

Rose Cloud recycled wool blanket, £69, The Future Kept

D E C O R AT I N G

liv ing rooms: inspiration galler y TAKE A SE AT IN OU R PICK OF SPACES DESIG NE D WITH RE L A X ATION IN MIND

Super social When choosing seating, the go-to for most will be the sofa.

While we love a cosy sofa to curl up on, there are other options.

If your space is more geared towards entertaining than Married at First Sight binges, consider using a handful of armchairs instead. Not only will each guest have their own space, but the layout is easy to change around to create more intimate arrangements when required.

Look for swivel armchairs for extra flexibility, allowing you to dip in and out of conversations.

FEATURE THEA BABINGTON-STITT PHOTOGRAPH WILLIAM WALDRON

GET THE LOOK Dell swivel chairs, from around £1,700 each, Brigette Romanek for Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams

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D E CO R ATI N G

In the zone Open-plan living spaces will benefit from considered zoning to create nooks for relaxation.

‘Here, wall panelling was employed in the TV area to make it more intimate,’ says Guy Stansfeld, director, 23+GS/318, who designed this home. ‘Extensive built-in joinery was used throughout to make the most of the space available and accent colours were added to highlight various areas.’ You can highlight these not only through colour, but also via artwork and joinery.

GET THE LOOK For a similar statement wall colour, try Gentle Olive, £18 for 2.5ltr, Crown Paints

More often than not pink is a colour consigned to bedrooms. Mix things up by embracing it in the living room, while retaining a grown-up feel. Achieve this by looking to softer or slightly ‘dirty’ pinks, and layering these using furniture, soft accessories and artwork – neutral walls and flooring will stop any princess-y notes creeping in. Structure, too, is key. Reflect shapes from your art in the furniture, adding graphic lines to sofas and coffee tables or spherical elements to pouffes.

GET THE LOOK This space was designed

by Natalia Miyar. Sofa and coffee table, both bespoke by Natalia Miyar Atelier. Rug, Sinclair Till

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PHOTOGRAPH (IN THE ZONE) MATT CLAYTON PHOTOGRAPHY

Think pink

Material matters Careful consideration of materials and their placement has the ability to transform your living area into something truly spectacular. ‘The living room in this Victorian home is anchored by the dramatic veining of the calacatta viola-framed portal to the kitchen,’ says interior designer Tamsin Johnson. ‘It adds a sense of drama and glamour yet doesn’t overpower a room of this size. The paredback soft furnishings help to create an overall feeling of luxurious simplicity, allowing the architectural details and marble to sing.’

PHOTOGRAPH ANSON SMART

GET THE LOOK The Utrecht armchair, £3,643, Cassina, has a similar shape

Get personal When designing your living room, it can be all too easy to overly focus on making it look perfect – but learn to enjoy the beauty and energy that comes from mixing and matching unexpected pieces because you love them, rather than to create an Instagram-ready room. ‘Art is always part of the picture for me,’ says interior designer Rebekah Caudwell who owns this home. ‘Our paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures make up the story of our lives. For me, these final elements are what give a house soul and a touch of magic.’

PHOTOGRAPH SIMON UPTON

GET THE LOOK Try 1stDibs for similar starburst chandeliers.

Walls in Hague Blue, from £52 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball

D E C O R AT I N G

Gallery space Living room walls are the perfect backdrop for a collection of art. Create a gallery space by layering up your favourite graphic artwork, rotating the pieces every so often to keep the room fresh.

Have a play with the layout by placing the art on the floor, or by using washi tape to stick prints on the wall before you commit to drilling holes.

Furniture colours can complement your artwork, so choose pieces in tandem.

GET THE LOOK The tarnished steel cupboard is by Ochre, price on request. Try the Fashion Illustration Gallery for a similar selection of artwork

PHOTOGRAPHS (GALLERY SPACE) SIMON BROWN/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM; (IN THE DARK) JONATHAN BOND

In the dark ‘Using darker hues in a room helps to make it cosy and intimate, especially when taken over the ceiling,’ says Lucy Barlow, founder of Barlow & Barlow, who designed this room.

‘A rich velvet always adds an extra element of warmth and softness to a room – particularly in a snug or TV space where you’ll be cosying up to watch a film or relax with friends. You don’t always have to compromise style over comfort or vice versa, they can easily go hand in hand. Adding patterned cushions helps to break up the block of colour, while also introducing an element of fun.’

GET THE LOOK For a similar wallcovering, try Master Evo in Alcantara, from £194m, Studio 198.

Try House of Hackney for fringed cushions

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D E CO R ATI N G

Eclectic look Combining old and new pieces can seem daunting, but by adding in vintage furniture and accessories a room becomes so much more warm, inviting and real.

‘We love to incorporate different design styles, including mixing new and antique pieces as it helps to make the space feel like it has been around for a long time,’ says interior designer Heidi Caillier. ‘We try to create different seating areas and tend to bring in a mix of sofas and varying sizes of chairs – this also helps to make the room feel more visually interesting.’

GET THE LOOK For a similar lounge chair, try the CH25, from £2,761, Carl Hansen & Søn

‘Sourcing the right size rug for a living room is a great way to zone a room. Here we used a very large and sumptuously soft rug to unite the seating area in our client’s living room,’ say Katie Glaister and Henry Miller-Robinson, co-founders of K&H Design. ‘Aim to create seating in groups or have one central point where all the seating faces into. When positioning seating in a living room always remember no one wants to be isolated from the conversation.

Create seating in groups or have one central point where all the seating faces in to.’

GET THE LOOK The Zig Zag stool, £248, Pols Potten, has a similar shape

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PHOTOGRAPHS (ECLECTIC LOOK) HARIS KENJAR; (GATHER ROUND) PAUL RAESIDE

Gather round

Get the low-down Take things low for a relaxed look. A sectional wall-to-wall sofa can help fill a space horizontally, but remains practical when paired with floor cushions and a low coffee table.

Enhance the theme by painting the ceiling in a tonal shade – it adds to the warmth, while also drawing the eye up and stopping all the focus from being at the base of the room.

‘Scandinavian ski lodges were an inspiration for the earthy tones and textures here,’ notes Kevin Dumais, founder of Dumais Interior Design. ‘Leather panelled walls ground the room giving it a welcoming, cosy feel.’

PHOTOGRAPH ERIC PIASECKI

GET THE LOOK Chandelier, custom by Trans-Luxe. Wall panels, custom by Dualoy Leather

colour insight D E S I G N E R E VA S O N A I K E O N H O W S H E U S E S PA I N T T O CO M P LE M E NT H E R DY N A M I C W E S T A F R I C A N A E S T H E TI C

I like to use up to five hues in a space for an interesting mix. For example, my sofa is in an almost black aubergine, which I combined with a mustard chaise lounge, a bright pink chair and dark khaki curtains. I’ve used cushions in an array of colours – from green to blue and copper.

I love uplifting shades of green, such as Breakfast Room Green by Farrow & Ball.

For me it signifies happiness and puts me in a good mood. I also love deep shades of purple for furnishings. But for walls and accessories, I opt for light lilac. I find lilac so refreshing and calming.

When we bought our home, I was pregnant and stressed so my husband made many of the decor decisions, including choosing our classic black-and -white bathroom, which exudes a sanctuary-like vibe. Of course, I couldn’t resist adding colour with a blind made from my Aburi fabric. It features a black and brown palm tree set against a yellow batik background and I love how it lifts the space.

While walls in the lower floor of my home are white, upstairs is more colourful. My

daughter wanted pink in her room. She’s not a girly girl so I wanted to avoid clichés. We chose Pink 05 from Lick, a warm blush with earthy undertones that give it a grown-up feel. The ceiling and skirtings are white and there’s a wall showcasing my Asa paper in a warm copper that complements the pink.

I think the combination of navy, teal and pink works beautifully. Despite the fact that my daughter’s room is very pink, we went for a navy blue velvet bed and beautiful ombré teal floating curtains. To retain a light, airy feel, the rest of the furniture is a mix of white and birch.

My son’s room is in the loft. He has a wall of wardrobes that I painted Lick Blue 05 – a warm mid blue with grey undertones that works with the wooden floor and oak bed. It has a Scandi feel, which I have offset with vibrant African textures and patterns. It’s an interesting mix but it works!

I wanted something restful for my bedroom. One of the walls is papered in my Asa print, which is inspired by adire fabric, a West African textile. To enhance its lilac tone, I teamed it with Marble V – a soothing purple-grey with dusky lavender tones – by Paint & Paper Library.

If you want to try bolder colours but are struggling to commit, start with a feature wall that uses a colour that speaks to you.

Sample it first by painting it onto pieces of paper. If you’re still unsure, try out a light shade of that colour. You can always increase the depth of the shade and go darker once you feel more confident.

the edit Blue Nile matt emulsion, £80 for 5ltr, Andrew Martin

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Breakfast Room Green No.81 estate emulsion, £52 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball

Grecian White velvet matt emulsion, £42.06 for 2.5ltr, Dulux Heritage

Pink 05, £38 for 2.5ltr, Lick

Marble V pure flat emulsion, £51 for 2.5ltr, Paint & Paper Library

Light Blue No.22 estate emulsion, £52 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball

FEATURE SOPHIE BAYLIS PHOTOGRAPH ANNA STATHAKI

Given my reputation for colour, it’s perhaps surprising that the downstairs of my home is painted wall-to-wall off-white, Grecian White by Dulux Heritage. There’s a good reason though: it creates a plain backdrop that lets me introduce colour through furniture and accessories. I chose this shade because it has a warming yellow undertone that contrasts with the stained black wooden floors throughout my home.

D E C O R AT I N G

how to... turn a bedroom into a bathroom BARELY USING THE SPARE ROOM? RETHINK IT BY CREATING THAT DREAMED OF EN SUITE OR INDULGENT SPA-STYLE SANCTUARY

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sweat the practical stuff Build into the layout as much storage as possible without affecting the aesthetic. The more storage you have, the easier it is to keep the room looking fabulous. A vanity with discreet drawers is my go-to – or a mirrored wall with a cupboard behind it.

Charu Gandhi, founder and director, Elicyon

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planning permission

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pipe dreams

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future proof

There’s no need to obtain planning permission to convert one room to another or change the space within your property. It’s only necessary if you’re extending your home or altering the exterior in some way. It’s still advisable to seek professional advice as you might be able to use your space more efficiently. For example, placing a bath at a different angle or borrowing space from another room.

Hayley Robson, creative director, Day True

Knowing whether walls are solid or studwork is a must, as this will determine whether you can channel pipes and concealed fittings into existing walls or will need to build out. Also write a list of ‘must haves’ – for example, double or single basin? Bath or shower, or both?

Then configure the layout. If you’re tight on space, wall-hung toilets and vanity units give the illusion of more floor area.

Rebecca Milnes, senior designer, C.P. Hart

Also think about how your bathroom usage might change over time. Just because you don’t need a bath or shower now, doesn’t mean you won’t in a few years.

A separate shower can be considered a luxury if space is tight. However, there are ways around it, including wet rooms and folding screens that take up less room.

Barrie Cutchie, design director, BC Designs

FEATURE JACKY PARKER

Mirrored cabinets are both practical and beautiful in this project by Elicyon

D E C O R AT I N G

5

structure

Structural elements to consider are: is there sufficient beam support to bear the weight of a bath, how will the room be ventilated and is there a light source? And focus on maximising the sense of space – a spacious feeling bathroom with no bath is a bigger asset than a cramped bathroom with a bath.

Colin Roby-Welford, creative director, Fired Earth

These striking tiles from Fired Earth visually expand the space

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Dramatic stone adds indulgence to a spacious Drummonds shower designed by Hollie Bowden

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time for tech

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decor decisions

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buck the trend

Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy that is about constant improvement, so turning a bedroom into a bathroom is definitely an enhancement to your lifestyle. Balance is vital, too. Japanese bathrooms are a mix of tradition and tech – a simple design may hide innovative solutions. The automated functions of many of Toto’s designs create a sense of wellbeing and a haven of peace.

Hiroyuki Higashimoto, UK manager, Toto

Consider the room, who will be using it and how much natural light there is.

Some people are morning shower people and like invigorating colours to wake up to. Others prefer evening baths, in which case choose more relaxing neutrals and subtle lighting. With flooring, beware of ‘anti- slip’ finishes promising to make surfaces not as slippery. In our experience, they don’t work.

Emma Stevenson, interior designer, Emma Stevenson Interiors Consultancy

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lather in luxury If a room hasn’t been a bathroom before, you’ll need to check how it can be adapted to accommodate plumbing – and at what cost. These basic layout checks will determine where fittings can be placed. During this stage, contemplate underfloor heating to create a room that is truly luxurious.

James Lentaigne, creative director, Drummonds

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I recommend traditional-style taps in an interesting finish – polished nickel is a lovely warm metal that is timeless but looks more premium than chrome. Get samples of your tiles, hardware finishes, surfaces and wall colours and put them next to each other in your new bathroom in daylight to check they work together.

Be wary of anything that’s popular on social media. The last thing you want is to tire of your bathroom in a few years, so think about picking pieces that won’t date and add colour on walls that can easily be repainted . Or use bold, on-trend tiling sparingly so it can be changed later on without too much cost.

Beth Dadswell, interior designer and founder, Imperfect Interiors

D E C O R AT I N G

pattern book B AT H R O O M S A R E G E T T I N G ARTISTIC WITH TILES IN

FEATURE HOLLY PHILLIPS

GRAPHIC DESIGNS BUT SOFT PA LE T TE S TO K E E P IT C A LM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT A mountain-esque geometric that’s tactile with raised piping detail. Hanley tube lined decorative, £1,466.64sq m, Balineum Terrazzo tiles are all the rage. Siracusa artisan terrazzo, £168sq m, Otto Tiles Sunshine shades for an uplifting scheme.

Cabana Havana, £84.90sq m, Ca’ Pietra This one is encaustic, which means it has a soft, perfectly imperfect finish.

Cap Mars in Apricot, £210sq m, Livingetc x Bert & May Pastel hues and graphic shapes trigger an 80s vibe. Discotheque A-ha, £42sq m, Claybrook

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COLUMNIST

house style D E S I G N G U R U M I N N I E K E M P TA L K S E X T R A O R D I N A R Y B AT H R O O M S A N D M A K I N G A S P L A S H I N YO U R O W N B AT H I N G S PA C E I am passionate about baths; my bedtime ritual involves a bottle of Badedas and a long soak no matter what time of the night. The most romantic bathroom I have ever encountered was built by Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal emperor of India. The Taj Mahal was built between 1631 and 1648 for love, in the memory of Jahan’s favourite wife Mumtaz Mahal who died giving birth to their 14th child. The entire structure is made from white marble. At dusk , when the marmalade skies turn crimson, so does the façade, making it look like a sparkling cake of salt.

Inside lies the Mecca of all bathrooms.

Even without the ability to take this overly luxurious approach, there are a few tricks I’ve learned when it comes to creating the perfect bathroom. The shapes and colours you choose can make all the difference in turning a room into a place of rest and respite. The Wye free-standing bathtub from Drummonds is the perfect length to sprawl out or prop up and read. Accessories and fittings in a brushed nickel finish give a contemporary clean feel which I prefer.

It’s fun to play around with the colour of your bath exterior. I had mine sprayed a dusty blue, just a shade darker than the Edward Bulmer Fair Blue on the walls.

The Sheesh Mahal – meaning The Palace of Mirrors – has been designed so that if one stands at any corner of the room and lights up a candle, the reflection of the candle will be visible in a plethora of small mirrors fixed into intricate patterns on the ceiling, like an age-old disco ball. During her bath times, the Queen would have musicians playing around her, and built into the walls are drums that would be played by eunuchs. Of course the bathtub is completely made from white marble and in the centre is a fountain jet that would have created bubbles much like a modernday Jacuzzi. Ahh, a girl can dream…

For the bathroom floor and up to dado height on the walls, I have specified Verde Guatemala honed marble. A fantastic secret supplier is Francesca Di Cola.

Just look up The Marble Whisperer on Instagram for her luxe take on deep, deep veins. If possible, always have a decorative coffer ceiling and warm lighting. Andrew Martin do some lovely alabaster wall lights that can be fitted either side of a Patrick Ireland bespoke mirror. For cosiness, use linen fabric for Roman blinds. If you’re worried about peeping Toms, frost the windows , leaving a 5cm gap around the frame to let the clear light in.

It’s fun to play around with the colour of your bath exterior – I had mine sprayed a dusty blue

MINNIE’S SHOPPING PICKS OF THE MONTH PRETTY IN PINK This elegant and simple scheme from Mandarin Stone makes for a very peaceful space. I would add a lovely wicker basket with folded towels and RikRak Gardenia soaps and candles. Finger-sized tiles are a big trend at the moment and this uplifting blush tone feels exactly right for now. mandarinstone.com

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ON THE TILES For something a little more graphic, the best person to contact is Balineum founder Sarah Watson. The company collaborated a couple of years ago with one of my favourite artists, Wayne Pate. Together, they created these enduring classics – each piece is hand-painted on terracotta by artisans in Italy. balineum.co.uk

FEATURE BUSOLA EVANS PHOTOGRAPH DARREN CHUNG

Floor-standing Grand shower; Single Locky vanity with a Verde Guatemala marble top and Chessleton basin mixer, all by Drummonds

design projects O U R R E N OVAT I O N PAG E S O P E N W I T H S O M E M A K E OV E R I N S P O

With its industrial ribbed screen and distinct ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ zones linked together by geometric flooring, this shower space by Drummonds packs a serious design punch. And the combination of deep green marble and aged brass finishes adds a sumptuous feel livingetc.com

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R E N O VAT I O N N E W S I N N OVAT I V E I D E A S FO R K ITC H E N S , B AT H R O O M S A N D P R OJ E C T S

INDUSTRIAL STYLE

The Diesel Get Together kitchen by Scavolini is a clever progression from the hugely successful Diesel Social kitchen. The idea is that individual components can be put together to create a personalised look ideal for a kitchen-living space. Fancy merging the rooms even more? Get Together is completed by the Misfits range of painted metal storage elements, including trolleys, tables and cabinets, for that oh-so-desirable un-kitcheny look. Diesel Get Together kitchens, from £15,000 (scavolini.com)

colour hit Villeroy & Boch has unveiled four new colours in its best-selling Artis basin range – Indian Summer, Sage Green, Rust and Bordeaux. Created by German-Danish designer Gesa Hansen, the design sees a striking shade on the exterior contrasted with an alpine white interior. Artis basin, from £356.74 (villeroy-boch.co.uk)

Roca’s Luna mirror cabinets come in several widths with two height-adjustable shelves, from £314. (roca.com)

FEATURE BUSOLA EVANS

finishing line Warmer finishes continue to dominate bathrooms and BC Designs has taken note and now launched all its taps and showers in copper and brushed copper. This elegant bath shower mixer, which is available wall-mounted or with crosshead handles, can also be used on freestanding legs.

The classic headset and spoutdesign offer maximum flexibility – ideal whether you are a dedicated bath-lover or a shower fiend. Victrion deck-mounted lever bath shower mixer, £806; Victrion traditional cast bath legs, £495 (bcdesigns.co.uk)

IN THE SPOTLIGHT Corston’s new solid brass spotlight range comes in two options, both with flexible pivot joints to direct the light – Baylis (shown) has a gently rounded mounting, while Perryn fits flush. Choose from bronze, antique brass, unlacquered brass and polished nickel finishes. From £62.40 (corston.com)

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projects TILE TECH

The innovative Mystone Travertino stoneware from Marazzi gives the look of marble with none of the material’s drawbacks – hurrah!

Whizzy digital printing means all the tiny details and imperfections are reproduced while clever performance tech has ensured it has the strength and durability needed for busy, modern homes.

It comes in three mosaics and four sizes – 90x180, 60x120, 60x60 and 30x60cm – all designed to complement each other, and is available in three neutrals – Light Beige, Cream and Light Grey. It’s slip-resistant, too, so perfect for floors as well as walls. Mystone Travertino stoneware, price on request (marazzitile.co.uk)

EXPERT INSIGHT

fireplace restoration Tristan Rowe, director of luxury heating brand Chesneys, tells us all about revamping a fire

3 of the best METAL HEATED RAILS

This warmer has a sleek and minimalist design with large spaces between the bars so it can dry even the chunkiest of towels. RA1 brass bar rail in polished gold, £2,347.82 (cphart.co.uk)

Stand out from the bathroom crowd with the innovative Clip, which is designed to resemble a torsion spring and comes in an array of colours and finishes.

Clip in matt gold, £1,075 (westone bathrooms.com)

The brass finish means this towel rail will be an instant focal point and its price means you’re less likely to dip into your overdraft.

Arezzo heated towel rail in brushed brass, £279.95 (victorian plumbing.co.uk)

There are many signs that a period fireplace may need restoring. Usually it will be obvious, such as when pieces are cracked or missing, but in the case of marble, it can sometimes not be so clear as it may suffer from ‘sugaring’, which is where the marble calcifies and crumbles into what looks like sandy grains of sugar. This is common with white marble in particular and these pieces usually need replacing. Firstly, an assessment of what the work is needs to be carried out. Is the work purely cosmetic? Are there missing tiles?

One of the first things to do if the fireplace is open is to get a registered chimney sweep to see if the flue is sound.

If pieces are missing from the fireplace, take a photo and ask a fireplace company if these pieces are available. Check if the fireplace is securely fixed to the wall – a gentle tapping with the heel of your hand will let you know if there is any vibration. If there is, get a fireplace installer in to refix and get further advice.

Overpainting is a typical problem that can usually be dealt with by stripping with a product like Peelaway, which is effective at removing multiple coats of paint, but I would recommend that if the fireplace is marble or stone to seek the advice of a fireplace restoration company.

If there are cracked or missing tiles in the hearth area, they can be replaced but it’s very difficult to find identical replacements for old period tiles. If the tiles are inside the cast-iron register grate, then they need to be removed by a fireplace expert – it’s not something for the DIYer. Choosing the right surround depends on the building’s style or era, so it is worth doing your research. The fireplace shelf should not fill the width of the chimney breast. There should be at least an inch each side and the height should typically be no less than a third or no more than half the height of a room.

The cost of restoring a period fireplace varies greatly.

A professional will typically charge anything from £350 for a small job to £3,000 for lengthy and detailed restoration.

Everything to do with fireplaces is covered under Approved Document J of Building Regulations.

Where you live will determine what fuel is okay to burn.

Most major cities in the UK are governed by smoke control orders, which means unless you are using a Department For Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) exempt appliance, you can only use smokeless fuel.

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TH E LOWDOWN ON …

BUILDING A LOFT EXTENSION LO O K I N G TO A D D M O R E FO OTAG E TO YO U R H O M E ? A R C H IT E C T K I M LO D D O R E V E A L S T H E K E Y FAC TO R S TO CO N S I D E R W H E N CO N V E R T I N G YO U R AT T I C S PAC E

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One of the first things to check is whether you have enough head height for a loft extension. Take some measurements to ascertain how much space you have from the floor to the ridge beam. If you haven’t got enough room to stand in that space, you may not be able to proceed. The most valuable space you’re going to get in the loft is standing space, so it’s important to understand how much of this the build will create.

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It’s difficult to say how much space a loft extension can add to your house in terms of square footage – it all depends on the height of the ridge beam. It’s more useful to think about the size of the loft as proportional to the rest of your house. As a rough guide, you might be able to achieve between half and three quarters of the area of the floor plan on the level below. In terms of cost, based on the design-led loft extensions we have carried out, a couple of years ago we’d have suggested a ballpark cost of £3,500 per m2.

However, costs are rising post-Covid, as there’s been lots of issues with material availability and labour shortages. Current costs are therefore much more difficult to predict.

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The access staircase leading up to your loft is almost as important as the room you’re building there. According Typically, the most straightforward way to create a loft to Building Regs, it should have a minimum head height extension – especially if you live in a terraced house – is of 2m. Spend plenty of time working out how the to add a dormer window at the back. This will lift the structure will connect to the rest of the house, too. For roof of the loft over a new vertical window, creating a flat example, if it’s too steep or you feel as though you might bang your roof overhead that gives you more room. The pitched head when you use it, getting up to your new loft will feel awkward. roof at the front stays the same. If you live in an end-of-terrace house, another option is to extend to the side of the property’s roof by doing a hip-to-gable extension. It’s all about getting more Typically, dormer extensions at the back of the house volume without building above the existing ridgeline of your roof. fall under what’s known as Permitted Development, The best thing to do is to get an architect to look at your roof to which means you don’t necessarily have to apply for see what’s possible – sometimes the biggest extension isn’t planning permission. But if you live in a listed building necessarily the best one. or a conservation area, PD rules don’t apply. For more information about what’s covered under PD rules, head to planningportal.co.uk.

As well as a designer, you’ll want a structural engineer on your team to check the existing structure. They might need to dig a trial pit to check the foundations are You don’t necessarily need to move out during deep enough to take the load of the extra floor. Plus, construction. If you can put scaffolding up at the front the new structure is likely to enclose, rest on or require and back of the house, contractors can get in and out the raising of the party wall with your neighbours. This means through the scaffold without too much disruption. you’ll probably need to bring in a party wall surveyor to handle Then they can knock through at the last minute and this side of the project, too. build the staircase up. The amount of time it takes ultimately depends on what you’re putting up in the loft – a new bathroom, for instance, will add to the timeline. For a typical bedroom and en When creating a design brief for your architect, the first thing is to explain what problem the loft extension suite in the loft, I’d say about three or four months – though this could easily rise to six months or more for complex schemes. will solve. Do you want an extra bedroom, for instance? Or more storage space? Would you like X another bathroom? Once your designer knows what you’d like to establish in terms of the space’s function, they can Kim Loddo is a director at IBLA (ibla.co.uk), a London-based factor this into the plans not only for the loft, but also how the rest architecture practice that has worked on bespoke renovations and of the house works in relation to that space. extensions in and around the city for more than 20 years.

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FEATURE REBECCA FOSTER PHOTOGRAPH ADRIAN LAMBERT

If you need extra space in your home, an attic conversion may be the answer. The term ‘loft extension’ is a catch-all phrase for increasing the space in the roof volume you already have, but there are several ways to create one depending on your style of house.

Here are the key elements that need to be considered.

“The access staircase is almost as important as the room you’re building”

This dormer loft extension in London by Holland Harvey (hollandharvey.com) maximises the width of the property to create a spacious guest suite, incorporating a bedroom and en suite. The large sliding windows provide far-reaching views

A R C H I T E C T U R A L F E AT U R E O F T H E M O M E N T. . . W I N D O W S E AT S D E S I G N I N G B U I LT- I N S E ATI N G I NTO YO U R F LOO R P L AN HA S P LE NT Y O F P R AC TICAL A N D A E S T H E T I C B E N E F IT S – H E R E ’ S H OW TO C R E AT E T H E P E R F E C T S P OT

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If there’s one feature that will instantly make any room feel more inviting, it’s a window seat. As well as allowing you to maximise sunshine and garden views, a well-designed setup should be multi-functional. For example, it might provide a work from home station during the day, transitioning effortlessly into a casual dining area in the evening.

‘A window seat is part of the fabric of the window, so the seat itself becomes part of the frame,’ explains Phil MacMahon, director at Foreign Bear Studio. ‘They offer lovely places to sit, read and contemplate. Plus, there’s the added benefit of built-in storage underneath.’

Cushions, books, toys and even gardening tools can be hidden in the space that a window seat provides. ‘Our designs have mainly focused on being an extension of another object in the room. For example, a long bench seat to a dining space that wraps around a corner into a nook,’ says Chris Hawkins, director at Forgeworks Architects.

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As with any piece of built-in joinery, it’s important to plan the design of your window seat carefully with your builder/joiner, so that you’ll be on the same page about its aesthetic and function. ‘Typically, it’s best to position your window seat at a similar height to a standard chair,’ says Amos Goldreich, director of Amos Goldreich Architecture. And ensure the seat isn’t too shallow or it will become a perch you don’t want to spend any time sitting on.

Choosing a material that’s practical and hardwearing is key. Tactile finishes, such as birch-faced plywood, will complement a natural palette of materials. If you have a bigger budget, the natural grain and texture of a hardwood will bring instant character, while concrete offers an extremely durable alternative, plus it can be cast into any shape.

FEATURE REBECCA FOSTER PHOTOGRAPHS (INSIDE OUT) OLLIE HAMMICK; (CONCRETE AND PLY) TIM CROCKER; (LIGHT TOUCH) FRENCH AND TYE

Don’t forget to incorporate lighting and an electric socket – especially if you’re keen for your window seat to double up as an area where you can plug in laptops and chargers. In terms of cost, it’s worth budgeting a minimum of £2,000 per m2 for a bespoke, built-in window seat.

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Amos Goldreich Architecture unlocked the potential of this Victorian house by introducing a side and rear extension to re-jig the space. The window seat is one of the key design features and was a must-have for the homeowners. The window structure itself projects out over the fish pond, creating the feeling that even when you’re sitting inside, you’re in the garden. An oak finish was used internally to maintain continuity with the rest of the materials in the kitchen.

When the owners of this house embarked on their refurbishment and extension, they were keen to retain as many of the property’s characterful period details as possible, including the bay window looking out onto the back garden. Forgeworks reinterpreted the space as a built-in window seat, which has become a social space to enjoy coffee with friends. The plywood bench seat has been finished with white wax to maintain the light feel of the material over time. Concrete flooring, which wraps over the step leading to the window seat, was chosen to add an industrial edge.

GET THE LOOK Project design by Amos Goldreich Architecture

2 C O N C R E T E A N D P LY This kitchen was designed by Mustard Architects as a place with plenty of nooks and crannies for the homeowners to display their cookware collection. The ash framed picture window draws the eye through to the garden, with informal bench seating just in front. The concrete part of the bench was cast on site and finished with a matt sealant. This structure sits atop a birch-faced plywood base. Depending on labour and material costs, a similar bench-style setup would cost between £2,000 and £5,000.

GET THE LOOK Project design by Mustard Architects, seat built by Jason Terry, Cardonwood

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GET THE LOOK Project design by Forgeworks

4 WHITE OUT Studio Sidika crafted the design for this north London apartment. The curved window seat functions as a cosy breakfast nook separate from the main dining area. Made from MDF, the seat was spray-painted in the joiner’s workshop to establish a matt lacquered finish.

Storage has been incorporated underneath, plus a power socket so the space easily transitions from breakfast nook to workstation.

GET THE LOOK Project design by Studio Sidika

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THE HOME FRONT R E B E C C A WA K E F I E L D I S AT T H E P L A N N I N G S TA G E O F H E R R E N O VAT I O N A N D L E A R N I N G TO G E T I T R I G H T W I T H O U T E N D L E S S D I Y- S TO R E DA S H E S I completely forbid in my design work for clients. Hypocrisy at its finest.

PHOTOGRAPH (REBECCA) HANNAH LOVEMORE

I have historically sprinted though the renovation process in my own homes, purely out of necessity. Our first flat, a small two-bed, ex-council above a fried chicken shop in Peckham was pretty much unliveable when we got the keys. We moved in anyway (three cheers for youth and naivety) and began the extensive renovations ourselves, washing our dishes in the bath and waking up each morning in frosty conditions with a thick layer of brick dust covering both us and our mattress on the floor. We had a tight budget and most decisions I made were driven by the little money left in our account.

The finish was average at best, a complete lack of both skill and patience serves as a fatal combination for decorating and DIY. Our next home was a probate purchase, last touched in the 1960s. Four weeks after move-in, we found out I was expecting.

Again, I existed for weeks in a sub-zero building site, having stripped everything back to brick, this time the relentless sickness of the first and second trimesters adding insult to injury. Eventually, nesting mode took a violent hold of me (and consequently the builders) and we sped through design decisions and installations. The main driver was now lead times – I was choosing in-stock items over the ones I wanted, something

My new home and project will be the first time I have personally had the luxury of planning the works ahead of starting them.

Sitting in my warm office, without the constant ear-splitting shriek of a circular saw, it almost feels as if something is awry. I am not tearing down to Screwfix every day to purchase the least offensive door handles or threshold strip I can find on order of a builder. I have breathing space to get to grips with the house, its orientation and little quirks.

My new home will be the first time I’ve had the luxury of planning works ahead of starting

I am currently working with Detail Architects on the planning drawings.

Thrillingly, we’ve created a facade that is sympathetic to the house’s 1930s history but borrows interesting architectural features from the surrounding buildings: a zinc canopy along the width of the house, a dormer with a round window, the perfect mix of red brick and render. I am impatiently willing this vision to come to life; but practicing what I preach, I remind myself that good things come to those who wait. Unless, of course, your waiting room is in a state of disrepair.

In which case, good things come to those who make quick decisions and order those in-stock doorknobs.

R E B E C C A’ S B U Y S O F T H E M O N T H WINDOW DRESSING I have been obsessively ogling zinc canopies for our house’s front elevation. They really lift a plain and simple facade so effortlessly if you choose the right style for your house. My first port of call will be ZAC, where I have seen an abundance of interesting and beautiful canopies and porches.

PICTURE PERFECT An occupational hazard for me is installing products in a client’s home that I desperately want myself. A case in point are these beautifully framed botanical pressings from southeast London-based JamJar Edit. Hung as a set, they are even more magnificent.

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Thanks to its conical shape and patented optimal reflector structure within, LG’s XBoom 360 RP4, £399.98, disperses sound out in every direction while also packing in a fully customisable light with nine preset modes (lg.com)

smart home FEATURE GINEVRA BENEDETTI

T H E N E W P I E C E O F T E C H I M P R OV I N G O U R L I V E S T H I S M O N T H

Good quality portable speakers are ten a penny these days, but if you’re keen to party like it’s 1999 through all of 2022, the LG XBoom 360 is hard to beat. This stylish, omnidirectional speaker delivers room-filling, crystal clear audio and rich, dynamic bass to every corner of a room livingetc.com

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innovations D E S I G N S T H AT W I L L T R A N S F O R M YO U R ABODE INTO AN EASIE R PL ACE TO LIVE

constant gardener Grow your own petite patch, regardless of the weather, season or lack of green-fingered skill, thanks to an automated smart garden. The kits come with a set of two to four packs of pre-sewn seeds, while the planter provides all the light, irrigation and nutrients they need to grow into healthy plants. Veritable Indoor Garden Smart Edition four-slot herb and plant holder in Blue, £175 (connectionsathome.co.uk)

oven ready Smeg’s revolutionary new Galileo technology will help you whip up meals in double quick time. Combining steam, microwave and traditional oven cooking in one package, Galileo puts food on your table in up to 70% less time than if you cooked in a standard oven. From roast potatoes in 20 minutes to a roast chicken in 30, mealtimes just got a little bit easier. Galileo Classic Speedwave oven, £499; Galileo Dolce Stil Novo Omnichef oven, £3,499 (smeguk.com)

Freshen clothes with Bosch’s new portable FreshUp device, £249.99 (bosch-home.co.uk)

WEIGHT WAT C H - I N G

Want to keep track of your fitness levels and general health?

Samsung’s latest iteration of its Galaxy smartwatch features a whole load of ingenious tech that both monitors your fitness and measures your full body composition without you having to stand on a bathroom scale. As well as all the other benefits, like voice calling or following voice commands, it’ll give you accurate readings of your BMI, body fat percentage, muscle and bone mass, body water percentage and much more. Galaxy Watch 4, £309 (samsung.com/uk)

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MINI YET MIGHT Y Retaining the company’s famed retro vibe but with – dare we say it? – a more modern finish, Roberts’ latest design is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. As well as its DAB/ DAB+/FM radio, the Revival Petite features a Bluetooth connection so you can stream music and podcasts to it wherever you choose. Revival Petite, £99.99 (robertsradio.com)

smart home

EXPERT INSIGHT

use smart lighting to refresh your home Giuliano Ghidini from Signify UKI turns us on to the benefits of ditching the conventional on-off switch

CLEAR THE AIR

Just like Dyson revolutionised home vacuuming over 15 years ago, the brand aims to solve domestic air pollution too, by launching its first purifying, humidifying fan with fully sealed HEPA filtration. It filters the air while gently releasing humidified, purified air – perfect for anyone who wants to refresh the air they breathe without having to open the window. Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool, £599 (dyson.co.uk)

3 of the best SMART COFFEE MACHINES HOT SHOT Personalise your drink of choice, from the type of drink to the strength – and thanks to De’Longhi’s Coffee Link app, you can order it via your phone, too. Dinamica Plus ECAM370.85, £969.99 (delonghi.com)

FEATURE GINEVRA BENEDETTI

ORDER UP Voice-controlled via built-in Alexa, just ask this machine to make you a coffee and it’ll do the honours, as well as giving you the news headlines and the weather. Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy, £249 (amazon.co.uk)

CHILL OUT Catch an extra few minutes in bed each morning by making your cold brew coffee, espresso or frothy cappuccino from grind to cup, all via your smartphone. Z10, £2,145 (uk.jura.com)

Arguably one of the greatest inventions of the 19th century, the light bulb has changed our lives. Today, smart lighting is transforming homes into something completely unique to the people living in it.

From changing a room from a study to a home cinema with one tap, to choosing the right light setting to help you concentrate better or relax after a tough day, smart lighting can do so much.

Smart lights replace your existing incandescent bulbs.

In general, the extent of the functionality of traditional home lighting is confined to conventional light bulbs that work by turning on and off by flipping a switch, or hardwiring them into a dimmer switch. Smart lighting, on the other hand, allows you to have more control over your lights by allowing you to tweak the colour via your smartphone, brighten or dim the bulb or even switch it on or off. They are still connected to your home’s power, but each smart bulb and LED-integrated fixture allows you to control it wirelessly with your phone, tablet or smart assistant, such as Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. It’s no surprise that smart lights are one of the most popular smart home devices right now. The smart lighting market, according to market research firm Statista, is projected to be worth well over $105 billion by next year, up from $8.68 billion in 2018.

They give you access to mood lighting in an instant.

Traditional bulbs require you to use a switch to control the lights – and nothing else. If you want to be able to dim your lights, you need to wire a dimmer switch into your wall. Smart LED lights, however, can be controlled via the app or other smart accessories.

What’s more, preset and customised light scenes create ambiance for any occasion, whether you’re using warm-to-cool white light or colour LED lights, all you have to do is tap a button.

They’re hugely energy-efficient. With a long and sustainable life, smart LED bulbs last much longer and generate less heat than the original light bulbs, thus using less energy. You can use a smart lighting system to expand your home’s connectivity.

Using your smart lighting system with other connected devices such as cameras, audio equipment, thermostats or home assistants allows you to create a connected smart home.

Smart LED bulbs can be configured individually or as a group. You can set timers that automatically turn off all the lights at a specific time or configure your lights to turn on and off when you’re not at home, mimicking your presence.

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live better LET GOOD DESIGN IMPROVE H OW YO U WO R K F RO M H O M E

Surely the greatest perk of working from home is the possibility of creating your dream office – without a cumbersome plastic chair or fluorescent strip light in sight. The chances are you’ve already set up your home-office, but if it doesn’t feel as beautiful as it could, if it isn’t inspiring your best work, there are plenty of things you can do to optimise your creativity.

To ensure that all parts of your workspace exist in harmony, Emma Morley, founder of Trifle Creative, an office design consultancy that also offers home-office packages, advises first creating a mood board – and a proper plan. ‘Things get messy when you panic-buy or design it piecemeal,’ she says. Emma advises heading to Pinterest to hone in on your preferred colours and textures, and the desired style of the key ingredients – desk, chair, lighting, storage. Then you can start to layer in the details. ‘Think about how it all looks together, so that it’s appealing for you to work in,’ she says.

Your biggest challenge is arguably finding the perfect location.

Ideally, it’s in a dedicated room, says Jo Thornhill, interior stylist and author of My Bedroom is an Office & Other Interior Design Dilemmas, in order to ‘reduce distractions and help disconnect at the end of the day’. If not, try to set aside a space solely for working, Jo advises – that could be at the top of the landing, in a generous

hallway or in a quiet alcove. Wherever it is, you’re going to want natural lighting on tap, which is proven to help alertness and productivity. ‘It’s more important to work by a window than sleep by one,’ says Jo. She also advises placing your desk adjacent to the window to avoid glare.

It is even better if you can look out onto nature. The American architect Donald Rattner, author of My Creative Space: How to Design Your Home to Stimulate Ideas and Spark Innovation, points out that, ‘although we evolved in nature, it’s in scant supply indoors where we spend most of our time’. We can easily restore that equilibrium, Donald says, by ensuring a leafy view, and by bringing in natural materials – wood, brick, stone, plants, and green and blue tones. ‘Science has found that these colours and textures stimulate creativity,’ he says. Tall ceilings and a sense of space also make us open to new ideas, he explains. Donald recommends creating the illusion of height with tilted mirrors or vertical wall lines, or even with a photograph of an expansive landscape: ‘It’s the perception of space that counts.’

There are stylish ways of blocking out domestic distractions – you could establish effective boundaries with a tall, open bookcase, a decorative screen or a wall of plants (Jo Thornhill recommends ferns and monsteras). After all, you don’t want to be gazing longingly at your bed when trying to work – or at your desk as you’re trying to sleep. It’s also helpful to mark out a ‘work zone’ - this could be with rugs, paint, wallpaper – even Japanese washi tape – to create

3 of the best OFFICE CHAIRS HATTEFJÄLL SWIVEL CHAIR, £179, IKEA Proof that office chairs needn’t be black, bulky and ugly. Created by the Dutch designer Monika Mulder specifically for small home offices, the fabric is made from recycled polyester.

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HERMAN MILLER SAYL CHAIR, £499, WELLWORKING Inspired by the principles of suspension bridges, this offers full ergonomic support and adjustability.

Plus you are able to customise pretty much every feature.

BUTTON-BACK GREY SWIVEL FLYNN CHAIR, £229, MADE If you want style and staying power, you’ll like this design.

As well as its chic upholstery and generous padding, its height is adjustable for a happy neck and back.

PHOTOGRAPH (MAIN IMAGE) FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM/ALEXANDER JAMES

Struggling to separate home life from work? Journalist Fleur Britten explores the ways good decoration can make your office space a hot desk of creativity.

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“To design your perfect home office space, start with a mood board and a proper plan” Surround yourself with the things you love and that uplift you to create a space you’ll be drawn to use

a physical border. If you would prefer your home office to blend in seamlessly with the rest of your home, Jo recommends visually defining it with a specific colour, and then connecting it to the surrounding space by using pops of that colour.

a pegboard for tools and equipment. ‘It is important to think of the walls in your home as working walls,’ says Donald. ‘You could add shelves and baskets for organising your things. If you feel in control, you’re more likely to try new ideas.’

For those of us working at the kitchen table, Jo recommends establishing a daily ritual to set up your home office with beautiful things – perhaps a special pen pot, a scented candle, a favourite plant – and packing them away at the end of the working day. You may not be able to block out your fridge from view, but you can condition your mind into work mode with lemon, rosemary or peppermint oils for a stimulating, productive ambience, and, at the end of the day, relax with jasmine or lavender.

It may not be sexy, but ergonomics – or how you safely and efficiently interact with your office – is crucial. ‘It doesn’t matter how beautiful your home office is,’ says Emma. ‘If you don’t get your desk, chair, screen height and lighting set up correctly, it’s not going to work.’

Trifle Creative recommends that desks are 70-75 cm in height (higher if you’re tall). Your chair needs to be set so that your elbows are in line Artwork in your with your desk (if not, you’ll get shoulder space will help or neck ache). Your eyes need to be level you access the visual, intuitive with your screen, so if you’re working on side of your brain a laptop, Emma advises investing in a separate keyboard: ‘Spending time being hunched over can cause chronic back and neck issues.’ She also recommends an ergonomic office chair, so that your back and neck are straight and your lumber is supported. Relax, though, says Jo Thornhill. ‘Lots of brands – for example, Made, Cult Furniture and Swoon – now have tasteful ranges.’ Plus, she adds, ‘There are still some great mid centurydesigned desk chairs made new today.’

Lighting should also be on your to-do list: ‘Not enough means you could be straining your eyes, and too much for too long can trigger headaches and insomnia,’ says Emma Morley. She advises three different types – overhead for general ambience, daylight lamps to support your circadian rhythm, and task lighting to reduce eye strain. You might want to consider a chic bare-bulb lamp or pendant: Donald Rattner says that the image of a light bulb triggers creativity (‘It’s one of the most recently evolved triggers,’ he explains). If you want to activate your creative right brain, dim the lights (‘There’s nothing for your eyes to rest on,’ he says), or turn them up if you want to get analytical.

For most of us, disorganisation is a source of stress – and stress is the enemy of creativity. If your work entails messy paperwork, Emma advises ‘closed storage’ (drawers, a filing cabinet, a chest, etc). ‘If not, go for open shelves, where you can also display lovely things.’ Storage can be a way of bringing your personality into your office, with beautiful vintage pieces such as trunks or trolleys, or perhaps

Practicality will only get you so far, though. For Donald, the most important detail is the beauty factor, which is, he says, ‘critical for finding inspiration’.

He recommends providing ‘sustenance for your eye to land on – artwork, colour, etc’, adding that curves, as opposed to sharp edges, will help you access your right brain. It’s also about using design to persuade you to stay put in your workspace: ‘You want to create a space that you feel drawn to use,’ says Jo. ‘Surround yourself with the things you love and that uplift you.’ And as Donald points out, ‘If you’ve made your home office as attractive as possible, then your space is definitely Zoom-ready, too.’

“It doesn’t matter how beautiful your home office is – if you don’t get your desk, chair, screen height and lighting set up correctly, it’s not going to work”

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smart home EXPERT INSIGHT

Dimmable Alumina desk lamp to support your circadian rhythm. £175, tala.co.uk

Jungle-themed wallpaper will update a wall or piece of furniture.

From £32 (1mx60cm), jesrose.co.uk

improve productivity Interior designer Olga Ashby offers decorating advice to help increase performance

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When I’m designing a home office, I try to create a cosy and safe sanctuary, so that you can be as creative as possible. Colour can inject energy into a room and help you feel motivated and inspired. I prefer an earthy, matt palette of dark beiges, light greens and forest greens – it soothes the eye and helps you spend more time in the space.

I love Mark Alexander’s textured wallcoverings, too (specifically, Grasscloth and Shifu), which are made with natural fibres in a beautifully irregular weave.

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You can also build up the cosiness factor with other tactile furnishings. Rugs have so much more character than carpets (I love the combination of silk and wool), while wool/cashmere-mix curtains drape very well and look just as beautiful from the back. If you want full blackout, I would have blinds, too, while privacy blinds are the best option for dealing with glare.

The Skinny metal locker with hanging rail in Ocean. £229, uk.mustard made.com

3 Ergonomic Gustav laptop stand and portable desk tidy in one. £168, obolife.com

Lacquered ash and green velvet curved writing desk. £550, roseandgrey.co.uk

I like a desk that has drawers, so you can have a completely clear office at the end of the day. Julian Chichester’s are very elegant, and a beautiful way to bring in texture. It’s lovely to have something of your private life on your desk to ground you and remind you why you do this – for example, summer holiday photographs in Addison Ross’ enamel frames. Lighting needs to be functional but can still be beautiful – I love Kelly Wearstler’s sculptural desk lamps, which are made from brass and stone.

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Nothing spoils the look more than plastics or wiring.

Try not to use any plastic in your office - that really doesn’t put you in a good mood – and hide your tech well. If possible, make sure you build in lots of sockets, to avoid extension cords and multiple wires trailing all over the place. I always try to integrate sockets – even into drawers so you can charge your devices away from view – and I store the printer away on a pull-out shelf.

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Your office needs to be self-sufficient – as soon as you’re travelling to the fridge, that’s not work. So if space allows, I install a minibar or a bar cart, and a little velvet sofa or chair with a side table for drinks and magazines, for when you need a little chill time. But no throws – as soon as you’re under one, you’re done.

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green living KEEP IT CLEAN AND GREEN WITH THIS MONTH’S TOP ECO PICKS

ski style With ski season in full swing, it’s time to upgrade your look for both on and off the slopes. Activewear brand Roxy has teamed up with fashion designer Cynthia Rowley for a collab that features dope-dyeing processes to save water, nylon made from recycled waste such as fishing nets, and limited solvent usage. WarmFlight fleece, £115, Rowley x Roxy, roxy.com and cynthiarowley.com

pure paint As we become more aware of microplastics and VOCs hidden in paints, we’re constantly on the hunt for more healthy ways to refresh our walls. Atelier Ellis – a brand that already creates beautiful, handmade paints – has had its True Matt Emulsion certified as truly breathable. To make this grade, paint needs to have a steam diffusion rating of no more than 1, and the lower the better. Atelier Ellis’ is an impressively low 0.004, so you can transform your home knowing you’re keeping yourself and your family as healthy as can be. £49 for 2.5ltr, atelierellis.co.uk

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G E T R E A DY F O R A REFILL

Who is better for creating an eco-aware cleaning product than Nookary, the specialist retailer for sustainable and ethical household essentials? The unique offering is the All-Purpose Probiotic Cleaner, which uses a non-toxic formula to clean just about every surface in the home – from mirrors and worktops to bathrooms and hard flooring.

Scented with natural essential oils, the design-led amber glass bottles are easily replenished with refillable pouches of product. Probiotic All-purpose Cleaner, £9.50; Refill pouch, £15, (nookary.com)

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EXPERT INSIGHT

shopping sustainably Fatima Khan, co-founder of online concept store TreeTy, talks keeping ourselves accountable

F L O O R S H OW

We’ve been a fan of LVT (luxury vinyl tile) brand Moduleo for quite a while now, thanks to its design-led products, such as the impressively real-looking LayRed collection. The LVT is made from up to 50% recycled materials and is even recyclable at the end of its life itself. The company has the world’s largest PVC recycling facility, processing over 100,000 tonnes of waste every single year. Not content with that, the aim is to fully cut emissions and use totally renewable energy within the next two decades. Plus, the flooring actually helps insulate your home, too. Win, win and win. moduleo.com

3 of the best ECO -FRIENDLY BED LINENS NOT SO SECRET Only using natural fibres, Secret Linen Store offers cotton and linen bedding made from sustainable crops.

The brand even offers eco-friendly laundry tips to help customers to clean products. secretlinenstore.com

FEATURE THEA BABINGTON-STITT

MEET YOUR MATCH The 100% natural pieces are made from stonewashed flax linen, a sustainable material farmed naturally in small batches. There are matching PJs, too, so you twin with your favourite sheets. pigletinbed.com

PASSED THE GRADE Every one of Bedfolk’s soft and pretty offerings is Oeko-Tex certified, a rigorous international standard ensuring that no harmful chemicals are used at any stage in the manufacturing process. bedfolk.com

Shopping sustainably is key to the life of the planet. Our natural resources are finite and our wastage keeps increasing. If you are remotely altering your buying behaviour to ask how something was made then you have already taken an important step. Shopping sustainably should be a way of life, not an option.

If we were having this conversation a decade ago, I would admit that buying sustainably isn’t necessarily affordable nor readily available to everyone. However, today, information and product selectivity are at your fingertips.

When you make a purchase ask yourself, what does it take to produce this? How will this get to me? How will I use it?

How will I discard it?

It’s an exciting time to be shopping sustainably as there are so many options. Plastic-free and second-hand are the more widely acknowledged sustainable methods for shopping, but the refill revolution is catching up across food, cleaning agents and toiletries.

The use of regenerative raw materials is an excellent way to go a step beyond sustainability and not just focus on sustaining our planet but actively working to restore, renew and heal the Earth. Cork is a great example as it continues to grow after it has been debarked – Lush uses cork to create its pots.

The circular economy is a term to learn. In simplest terms it is the reuse, recycle, repurpose and repair of an existing product. It is different from a linear economy in which we mine raw materials that we process into a product that is eventually discarded after use. In a circular economy, we close the cycles of all these raw materials aiming to extend their lifespan and keep them at their highest utility and value at all times.

One way to find out where products are originating from and how they’re made is to check for transparency in the supply chain on websites. Certifications are another way to ensure that products meet certain eco-friendly credentials.

B-Corp is the gold standard of accreditations for businesses adhering to a strict value-based business model where they prioritise the planet over profits.

There are so many examples of where wastage occurs but we are too desensitised to even notice. For instance, have you ever wondered how many tea bags are discarded around the world? Why not switch to loose tea rather than using tea bags that end up in bins. thetreety.co.uk

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live well D E S I G N C O N S U LTA N T O L G A T U R N E R B A K E R DISCUSSES HOLISTIC EXTENSIONS

Considering health and wellbeing holistically when building an extension means thinking about what you really want to get out of it, which then translates into what materials to use and how to furnish the space.

Both thermal and acoustic comfort are two things to look at from the beginning. In terms of thermal comfort, buildings are so airtight now that it’s not just important to consider how you heat a space, but also how you could ventilate and cool it, too. Look at an MVHR system, which constantly keeps the air fresh without losing heat due to a heat transfer unit. As long as you have an external wall, which extensions by their very nature tend to have, then you can fit one in as single-room systems are available. Make sure the MVHR has a filter so that you’re getting the cleanest air possible back into the space, particularly in urban areas.

Check how well doors and windows acoustically insulate from outside. When you’re choosing, don’t just ask about its U-value, also ask about its acoustic performance – particularly if you live below a flight path or on a busy road.

moisture, has good acoustic properties and is great for air quality – check out the range at UK brand Clayworks. Another option is natural breathable lime plaster, like Breathaplasta, which is really good for regulating humidity. So if the space is going to be an open-plan kitchen-diner/living space, it’s ideal to use a natural plaster or clay because of the humidity you get from cooking.

Needless to say, in kitchens make sure you ventilate properly.

Don’t just get a system that sucks things up into the cooker hood, have it externally ventilated and expel the air outdoors.

To make sure your extension is a really usable space, think about lighting – not only directly, but from above. Skylights are Remember that sustainability doesn’t always equal wellness. much better at letting in light than vertical windows, so even if you For example, hyper-insulating without ventilating. The more have a small window in the roof you’re going to get more daylight in. you insulate, the more you should ventilate.

In terms of fitting out the space, try to use materials that are natural and non-toxic. The most important things to watch out for are fire retardants, which are really bad for air quality and release chemicals. Wool for example, is naturally fire retardant.

Most paints on the market release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can harm your respiratory health, so go for a paint that’s certified to be low in or free from VOCs. If you want to avoid paint altogether, clay plaster is fantastic at absorbing

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Formaldehyde is still not banned in high levels from furnishings, so some developers and manufacturers are still using composite timber that is actually toxic to us. If you’re extending bedrooms and building in wardrobes, consider using FSC certified solid wood instead of MDF or anything composite.

If you’re doing any joinery, ask the manufacturer if it has been tested for VOCs and formaldehyde before you buy.

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FEATURE THEA BABINGTON-STITT PHOTOGRAPH FRASER MARR/FUTURECONTENTHUB.COM

If the extension is to be a retreat, perhaps an antidote to an open-plan space, think about acoustic insulation. Cork has really good insulation and acoustic properties. If there’s a floor above, line that with cork to dull the noise of footfall or, if it’s a one-level extension, you can use it between rooms or as flooring.

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI PHOTOGRAPH ALEXANDRE TABASTE

Occupying a 19thcentury apartment building, Soho House Paris mixes traditional French-boudoir style with art-deco details. The club’s courtyard garden is partially covered by a glass roof and billowing striped awning

the lifestyle edit O N E T H I N G W E ’ R E R E A L LY E XC I T E D A B O U T T H I S M O N T H . . .

The bright young things of the City of Light are flocking to its newest and most anticipated grande dame – Soho House Paris. The club’s first property in the city is located in Pigalle and boasts 36 bedrooms, a courtyard garden, pool terrace and cabaret room inspired by nearby Moulin Rouge livingetc.com

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RESTAURANT MIMI MEI FAIR OOZES OPULENCE – ITS DESIGNER TOM STROTHER OF FABLED STUDIO EXPL AINS HOW TO MIRROR THE ORNATE ST YLE AT HOME

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C R E AT E A S TAT E M E N T WITH A FLOR AL D I S P L AY

When it comes to flowers, I’ve learned to always call upon the expertise of a florist.

We worked with McQueens on the flowers at the restaurant to help us realise our vision. For the mantelpiece arrangement in the Parlour, they used seasonal beech, olive and eucalyptus. It has magnolia branches and flowers, white hydrangea, white campanula and white eustoma.

However, in your home, it is important to create something with an appropriate scale for the room and choose flowers you love.

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DA R E T O COLOU R DRENCH

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PA P E R YO U R B AT H R O O M CAB IN ETRY

We used darker colours in the smaller rooms to create an enveloping, saturated space that is a feast for the eyes. For example, in the Parlour we used Farrow & Ball’s Parma Gray as a base to the handpainted murals. We complemented this with bold punches of coral to give a tropical feel. I often introduce flashes of contrasting colours and patterned fabric – like the woven jacquard here – to bring the space to life. To recreate this, use one colour on your walls, skirting, doors, cornice and ceiling.

Then layer the space with variations of the shade and fabrics so it doesn’t feel flat.

FEATURE MEGAN SLACK PHOTOGRAPHS JAMES MCDONALD

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A D D A N O R N AT E T O U C H T O YO U R WA L L C OV E R I N G We used different wall treatments throughout MiMi Mei Fair, which was part of creating a unique identity for each room. In the Peacock Room and Drawing Room, we commissioned bespoke Chinese hand-painted silk wallpapers, trimmed with beautiful gold gimp braids. You could achieve something similar by choosing chinoiserie wallpapers and trimming the edges with gold gimp braids.

In the men’s bathroom, we used a bespoke black chinoiserie wallpaper, black lacquer cabinets and Verde St Denis marble vanities. Then, in the women’s, we used a lighter green with a chinoiserie wallpaper and a pink Murano mirror above the marble vanity. In smaller bathrooms like these, it is best to make a statement. You could achieve this by choosing a patterned wallpaper and reflecting the colours of the paper in your skirting and cabinets.

MiMi Mei Fair, 55 Curzon St, London W1J 8PG. mimimeifair.com

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hotel hot list T H E C H I C R E T R E AT S L I G H T I N G U P O U R D E S I G N R A D A R

Ace Brooklyn, New York The last Ace Hotel we wrote about was in Kyoto, a bold and modern opening that both contrasted and complemented its ancient surroundings. For this latest offering Ace is back to the familiarity of American shores, where the group now has eight properties. They’ve chosen Downtown Brooklyn as the location for their second New York base, and you can expect a hotel that follows what is now Ace’s very established design DNA. Life here revolves around the lobby, and we love its mid-century meets 1970s glamour vibe. There are myriad options to work, play and dine, but sign us up for a true feast of a breakfast at As You Are. Our eyes are firmly on the old-fashioned pancakes and PB&J doughnuts.

IN THE KNOW Pack those fabulous flares you bought on a whim during lockdown. If you can’t bring yourself to wear them here, you’ll wear them nowhere.

Book it Double rooms from £180 a night, acehotel.com

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FEATURE PATRICK HAMILTON COURTNEY PHOTOGRAPH (ACE BROOKLYN) STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON

Octavia Casa, Mexico City For designer Roberta Maceda’s first foray as hotelier, she borrowed the meditative, philosophical aesthetic of her existing clothing line Octavia, and turned it into a refuge for travellers seeking a moment of quiet reflection away from the hustle, bustle and vibrancy of Mexico City. Octavia Casa is in the much-lauded Condesa neighbourhood. Known for its tree-lined avenues, parks, and impressive art deco architecture, it’s widely considered the city’s coolest borough. Inside, the hotel’s architectural spaces are smooth and minimal, pairing nicely with Roberta’s simple interior schemes which highlight prized materials such as precious walnut wood and bronze. There’s no restaurant, the hotel runs on a B&B basis, but breakfast is a bountiful spread of local pastries served in a light-flooded, open air courtyard.

IN THE KNOW Eat at much-loved Condesa stalwart Contramar, a chic seafood restaurant that’s been going strong for over 20 years.

Book it Double rooms from around £180 a night, octaviacasa.mx

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Es Racó d’Artà, Mallorca Agricultural tourism has been one of travel’s top buzz phrases for a few years now, but it seems our love of farm-to-table dining and bucolic country settings has gone beyond fad and become condition. Over in Mallorca, architect-designer Toni Esteva has opened an ambitious new hotel on a 13th-century farming estate.

Es Racó d’Artà offers guests acres of peaceful, quiet surroundings and a holistic, natural philosophy that translates to simple Mediterranean food made from kitchen-garden ingredients and an interior scheme swathed endlessly in sun-bleached linen and the softest jute. You’ll also find a beautiful spa, meditation pavilion and many lovely gardens to linger and unwind in.

IN THE KNOW Pack some sensible clothes and your comfiest trainers, you’ll need them to explore the magnificent forested national park in which the hotel sits.

Eat at nearby Carrossa Hotel’s Badia Bistro which enjoys sweeping views out towards the sea, perfect for enjoying sunsets.

Book it Rooms from around £350 a night, esracodarta.com

Life House, Nantucket Oh, Nantucket. Aside from Cape Cod, there’s probably nowhere else that better conjures up that most all-American vision of an East Coast summer vacation. We’re thinking of New England clam chowder, Atlantic beaches and houses clad in snow white shiplap.

And while it may be their first hotel in this part of the country, the Life House group have picked up that inspiration and run with it for this low-key but charming new opening. The historic building began life in the 19th century as an inn, and its new iteration seeks to recreate a cosy, casual feel with traditional Howard sofas and William Morris-style prints. Outside, a lovely garden full of wicker seating and surrounded by fluffy white hydrangeas beckons guests to make themselves at home and enjoy a cocktail or two.

IN THE KNOW Shop the cobbled streets of this picture-perfect island. Our pick?

Nantucket Looms and their souvenir-ready handwoven throws.

Eat at CRU, perhaps the most glam spot in town, there’s nowhere better for a glass of champagne after a long day of playing in the sun.

Book it Double rooms from £275 a night, lifehousehotels.com

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in and out

T H I N G S T O D O A N D E N J OY – AT H O M E O R I N T H E R E A L W O R L D

T H E I N S TA G R A M T O F O L L O W

THE MUST VISIT

Bright spark

Comfort food

Stockholm-based illustrator Siri Carlén’s colourful figurative drawings, portraits and still lifes adorn everything from display windows and clothes for well-known Swedish fashion brands to interior accessories for Hem and Svenskt Tenn.

We love her joyous feed for a high-octane hit of print and pattern and equally merry family life in Sweden. @siricarlen

An east London pop-up then semi-permanent restaurant, Rita’s has gained a cult following in the last decade and has finally put its roots down in Soho – much to the delight of reconnecting Londoners.

Based on convivial New York neighbourhood restaurants, it serves inventive American comfort food.

The jalapeño popper gildas with a stuffed olive pinned to an anchovy and a slice of fresh chilli, washed down with a Martini, have proved definite crowd-pleasers.

Get in line, this one books up fast. ritasdining.com

THE EXHIBITION

Heaven scent

FEATURE ROHINI WAHI PHOTOGRAPHS (COMFORT FOOD) BENJAMIN MCMAHON; (LOVELY LOOMS) MARK DESMOND;

First shown at a previous Milan design week in a disused 1930s cinema in a collaboration with fashion brand Cos, Silent Fall is a sensory installation by Tokyo/ London-based Studio Swine featuring a grove of tree-like sculptures that release mist-filled bubbles. As each one is caught and burst, they release an array of forest scents, like moss, rain and pine. Tickets from £9, 6 Burlington Gardens, London. superblue.com/london

T H E G E TAWAY

Smart stay If anything could make you feel even better about your holiday plans, then surely it has to be responsible travel? As well as offering up covetable properties across London, Smarter is the first sustainable short-stay platform that calculates the emissions associated with all the stays booked through the platform and offsets them by funding projects like clean cookstoves in Ghana and wind farms in India.

And 10% of its profits go to its sister charity Stay For Good Foundation. How’s that for a good night’s sleep? book-smarter.com

THE SKILLS CLASS

Lovely looms A sewing school, weaving studio and textile space in Hackney, Make Town is where you can weave your worries away. Book a slot at the monthly Weave Club (£15 for the evening) or grab a bottle of wine and some pals for Late Night Weaving (£25 for 2 hours) on large looms to try your hand at everything from table mats to tapestries. Book through indytute.com

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better-lived life D E S I G N E R C H A R L O T T E R E Y O N T H E T H I N G S T H AT E N H A N C E H E R L I V I N G

I’m a big foodie so I love having tempting treats, which I often pick up on my travels, at home for family and guests. I’m a sucker for great food packaging: Rummo pasta always looks good, as do pretty olive oil bottles from Joy by Stevie Parle. Some ingredients are permanent fixtures in my kitchen, including Bonne Maman jams, huge hanging garlics from Turnham Green Market and a bottle of River Café negroni.

It’s wonderful to come home to so many favourites.

I’d love a really large dining table. We can seat about eight around ours but I’m on the lookout for one that can sit 16 or more. There’s so much promise in a large dining table – think big family dinners, lots of friends over for a long lunch on a weekend, dogs sleeping underneath it or the surface strewn with paints and papers for work. It’s hard to find a table that feels inviting, light and elegant that isn’t disproportionate at that size, so at Campbell-Rey we’re working on one for The Invisible Collection.

David Austin rose; The Secret Lives of Colour by Kassia St Clair, £12.99, Waterstones

CampbellRey’s debut furniture collection for The Invisible Collection

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In my garden I grow roses from David Austin along with dahlias from Petersham Nurseries and W6 Garden Centre by Ravenscourt Park. I love arranging them in vases and dotting them around the house – over the years I’ve collected quite a few La DoubleJ Colombo-print vases to display my blooms.

Author John Waters said, ‘Don’t sleep with people who don’t read’ and I can only agree. Books are windows to different worlds that nourish the mind and we should buy, collect, display and open them often. At the moment I’m reading The Secret Lives of Colour

by Kassia St Clair and The Eyes of the Skin by Juhani Pallasmaa.

Is there a better feeling than getting into a bed dressed with fresh bed linens? My favourites are from Once Milano and Frette – although to be honest, I love all linens: kitchen towels from Charvet Éditions at Pentreath & Hall, classic one-colour linen napkins from Svenskt Tenn, Maison de Vacances tablecloths from Cutter Brooks and blankets from Saved NY or Colville… I’ve just realised that linens are a bit of an obsession!

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FEATURE SOPHIE BAYLIS PHOTOGRAPHS (PORTRAIT) MORGAN SENDALL

I always try to bring the outside in. I like cut flowers but I prefer potted plants in well-worn terracotta pots from Whichford Pottery. It’s so satisfying watching plants grow from seed. I love it when my pelargoniums grow tall and spread out.

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